Bullet Proof
by BlackWingedGabriel
Summary: Robin has been kidnapped by a group of witches who know of the STN and want to destroy it. Will Amon do the unthinkable to get her back?
1. Memories Don't Matter

Robin Sena's breath came out in low shallow gasps. There was pain everywhere; her head, hands, legs, ribs…everything, well except her toes but she was unsure of how that helped her situation. She tried moving her hands which were held by something hard and cold to the side of her. Metal clinked as she struggled: handcuffs. Her feet were on each side tied with what felt like rough rope, in simplest terms she was bound to a chair. Her eyes had been covered tightly with a putrid-smelling rag. She could smell dry sweet chloroform on her upper lip and nostrils.

Her sense of sight had been taken but her other four senses seemed intact. She could feel the November frost biting cold all over her small body. Her ears picked up the sound of dripping water far away, wind beating on the walls of where ever she was, and rats scurrying about. The smell of the rag, the chemical on her and the stale taste of dust floating in the air were making her nauseous by the minute. She was glad she hadn't eaten anything at Harry's earlier.

How early had that been? How exactly had she been out of it? Robin shook her head forcefully feeling her hair ribbons smack her on the face, they felt damp. A faint image of falling on a wide puddle flashed on her mind for a split second. She remembered seeing her pale reflection on the dark water before falling face-first on it. Shadows were behind her then accosting her.Vague memories returned, such as the shadows turning her face up from the puddle. She had tried to fight but the chloroform had reacted instantaneously. With her back on the damp, freezing ground Robin used her craft in mid air incinerating the fire escape above her. The light of the fire had warmed her for a second then darkness. Just darkness…

A sound startled her, it had come too suddenly as if something had manifested out of nowhere. Robin gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering of cold—and fear. There was a presence, she was not alone.

"Good to see you are awake, you hit your head hard, we thought you had a concussion," a deep voice echoed in what now Robin suspected to be a huge room. "Don't try using your powers, that handkerchief on your eyes, it's smeared with flammable gel, your face will get toasted."

Robin felt bile rise on her throat. She had never been a really good judge of character but this stranger sounded obviously amused, he was having fun. What was worst he knew of her powers, how? How was that possible? He didn't sound like anyone from the STN or anyone she knew.

"Well Robin Sena, why don't you take a little nap again, you'll be here for a while. It'll be no fun to sit around and wait, will it?" Footsteps sounded until she felt him standing in front of her.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" she gasped fresh panic forcing her to struggle. "What do you—ah!"

Out of nowhere a strong prick of a needle stung her right on the nape of the neck. For the second time she knew of her head begun to spin. Her eyes were cloaked in darkness but she was positive they were going blurry.

"Shh, relax you revolting little hunter," the man hissed on her neck. His smoldering breath made her shiver. Her head felt heavy, so heavy…

The last concise, desperate thought in her head was the memory of _him_, the one who always gave her hope, the one who always had her back…

**Fifteen hours earlier**

"Robin—Robin!"

Robin looked up with a start at her partner Amon who was openly glaring at her.

"If you are going to sleep on the job then I'll just ask Sakaki to replace you," Amon said harshly, "He would probably be of more use."

"I was just resting my eyes," she said rapidly feeling stupid. But still, Amon had to admit this was the dullest stake out they had ever had. They were at an all-elderly neighborhood that consisted mostly of condos occupied by old retired folks. Even though they were after a witch with an astonishing power to melt any type of matter, the day didn't have any excitement in it. The most they had seen had been a couple of old ladies standing by their mailboxes gossiping and an elderly man with wobbly knees curse himself hoarse as the trash truck passed ignoring his trash can. Since four in the morning, sitting in the same position till the _afternoon_. Wasn't there any justice in the world?

"Robin, you are doing it again."

"I'm okay!" she gasped lifting her drooping eyelids.

"No, you're not," Amon sighed irritated turning on the engine.

"This was a total waste of time," he grumbled casting one last look before leaving their parking space.

Twenty minutes later they were pulling in front of her apartment building.

"Are you sure we shouldn't return to Raven's Flat? Maybe we'll get new leads," Robin offered remaining on her seat not yet unbuckling.

She waited for a response but Amon seemed in a trance looking at the entrance to her building. That day long ago when she had seen him walking with her roommate in the rain came to mind and her insides went cold. Touko was a great person, she really was and yet…

"No, go home I'll ask Michael to restart from scratch. I don't need you," he finally answered turning away from the building.

_I don't need you._

The cold turned to ice and yet she remained stubbornly in her seat wringing her hands on her lap. "I understand you don't," she said softly, "but you probably will."

Amon turned quickly opening his mouth but no sound came out.

She unbuckled and dashed out the door fumbling for her keys. Why did it hurt? She didn't understand. He was her partner who happened to be dating her roommate. He was cold, distant and dictatorial.

Reaching the elevator Robin dashed in relieved there was no one in it already. As it went up all strength left her, she slid to the ground putting her forehead on her knees and hugged her legs.

The first time she had seen him crossing the hall in Harry's and made contact with his steel grey eyes Robin had felt it. A sensation in her chest, something she couldn't quite place. It could be something pleasant at times and then there were others when it just ached and tears stung her eyes.

The little bell announcing her destination sounded but Robin remained in the ground until the double doors shut again. Shielding her from the rest of the world.

Outside, Amon hit the steering wheel causing the honk to sound. People turned to look at the pale man glowering at his dashboard.

He didn't have the slightest idea as to why it hurt any more than the girl in the elevator did, but he wanted the pain to stop.

Robin laid on the living room couch staring at the plain ceiling. Her cell phone had been clutched on her hand for a long time but no sound came out of it. It remained a cold piece of plastic and wires. The shadows moved getting bigger and darker. By the time the sun had gone down Robin had remained in the same posture without moving. Her mind swirled but she let it be. Why wonder on things if you couldn't find the answers no matter how hard you looked?

The phone rang piercing the darkening room. Robin gasped pressing the 'talk' button on her cell phone. It took her a few seconds to see it was the apartment phone. Slightly disappointed and disgruntled Robin answered, "Hello?"

"Robin, hi, I didn't think you would be home. I was just going to leave you a message," Touko said breathlessly.

"I got here earlier than usual."

"Oh, okay, I'm going to be late so don't wait up okay? Something came up."

Robin frowned at the ear piece, her roommate sounded a little bit _too_ cheerful, "Is everything okay?"

"Nothing!" Touko laughed gaily, "I'm going to have some drinks with some of my co-workers. I have to go; I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

There was a click and the sensation in Robin's chest began to throb. No, Amon was going to work on the case, and Touko was going with co-workers…

'_There is no reason to worry,'_ Robin chastised herself fixing her rumpled hair in the bathroom mirror. _'What am I worrying about?'_

Her reflection's eyebrows contorted in confusion. In her fifteen years of living in the convent she had never experience this.

The sky was pitch black by the time she headed to Harry's. The cold made her naked hands and face freeze in seconds but she didn't mind, it was something that distracted her. Instead of getting a cab Robin walked on letting her mind go on overdrive.

How many times had she thought of running away?

Once she had discovered her craft and her only choice of survival, Robin's life had come to a standstill. She was no longer Robin Sena but a stranger even to herself. The Inquisitor had said it himself; she only lived now to do what she was told to do. Like a puppet or an empty body that had lost its essence, its soul. She had never actually given it a thought to leave the convent to pursue other worldly things but once labeled as a possible witch, everything had been torn away from her even the simple choice. Then they had sent her to Japan and she knew it was all gone, Robin Sena had left this world never to return. She had been replaced with an emotionless robot that followed orders and didn't have a mind of its own.

She did this to survive all while feeling completely dead inside. And then she met him. He was like the others who gave her orders she had to obey; he was part of the system that had enslaved her.

Then what was the difference? Maybe the way his eyes had gone through her in the hallway on the very beginning or maybe that when he said or did something she felt it. It would make her feel angry, depressed, even appreciated in uncanny times. He gave her the weird sensation in her chest. Amon just made her feel like a live Robin Sena, like a puppet regaining its own strings.

She sighed heavily a white puff forming before her face. It was moist; she wiped it with her hand suddenly wishing she hadn't forgotten her gloves. Harry's was few blocks view when she heard it: footsteps. She was positive they hadn't been there seconds ago. Instinctively Robin quickened her pace. Her breathing quickened as soon as she turned and saw no one behind her. She continued walking to her destination, it was nothing but she could hear them clearer than ever. Harry's was just ahead, people milling in the inside warm and content by the looks of it. There was a tall man on the bar with his back to her: Amon. Warm relief swept all over her almost thawing her frozen body. He was there; it would be all right he was mere yards away. She halted, breathing hard, there were repulsive aromas coming from the trash cans in the alley she was standing by but she ignored them. It would all be okay after all.

Amon turned and gestured to the stool next to him to someone…to Touko. She had appeared out of nowhere. Robin's chest clenched and cold began to seep in. Touko was smiling as she took the seat next to the brooding man. Robin had to admit Touko looked beautiful even from far away…

Robin didn't hear the footsteps that continued to stalk her. She didn't even feel someone from behind, not until they had gotten a steel grasp on her left arm. A hand covered her eyes, while the other one dragged her vehemently into the alley. Her voice had deserted her and her mind went blank. The only thought that occurred to her was, _'Why is he covering my eyes?'_

"I'll hold her you do it," a wheezing voice ordered from behind. The chloroform awoke her senses of fight once a third hand pressed the soaked cloth to her mouth and nose. Robin began to struggle. The person holding her hadn't been doing a good job on the grip letting her shake both off. The hand came off and the cloth went flying. For the surprisingly first time in her life Robin cursed her lengthy dress which twisted around her legs. She fought to stay up but everything was spinning even the shiny trash cans. The puddle was before her glowing in the dim light from the street. She saw her reflection…theirs.

Once they turned her and the fire escape shone in the dark night, Robin knew it was a lost fight. The stars were above her even if she could only spot a few. Their weak light shone like she had never seen before, then just flickered off. The world simply went off.

'_Amon…'_

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**Wow, isn't Robin naïve? I wrote her like this because it's how she seemed like in most of the Anime. Oh well, whatever. I hope this actually gets somewhere. God, I hope someone actually reads this. Read and review people, how else will I know if this storyline sucks or not?**


	2. Seeing is Believing

**I'm back whole and refreshed. Thanks for the reviews, and no I won't stop writing the story no matter what. I'm a firm believer in finishing what I began. So even if all of you leave me in the cold, cold world and stop reading this and stuff I'll still keep writing. Poor Robin can't remain tied in that chair forever, well, unless I get writers block that is. **

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**Next Morning **

"The witch, well suspect actually, was seen at four in the morning in a convenience store on the outskirts of the city," Michael began, typing the information for everyone to see. "The clerk at the store says that the man looked like he had a bad cold, but that was probably the over-use of power in his part."

"What do you mean by overuse? Can't he control his powers?" Karasuma asked eyeing the profile warily.

"If that is the case then he will be a problem. We'll have to clean up after the mess he leaves behind," Sakaki added looking off into space.

The conference room silenced while the four tired hunters gave this some thought.

"It will be more work for us," Doujima concluded drinking deeply from her steaming cup of coffee.

"What are you talking about—'us'? You never do any work," Sakaki muttered offhandedly.

"Even if he was spotted," Amon began cutting off any continuing remarks, "we lost his trail as of yesterday, and this new evidence gives us nothing. He doesn't appear to have much cash on him aside from the usual credit and debit cards. That could help if he decides to skip town on a bus or plane. If he decides to hitchhike and skip town, he'll be well off our jurisdiction. The main thing we can do is watch his credit account and pray."

The overhead lights changed above as Michael put the bank data on their individual screens. All five STN members stared into it hoping, waiting—until they realized the whole process was discouraging.

"My head hurts, what are we waiting for exactly?"

"How can your head hurt, you've been looking at this for less than a minute."

"Shut up Sakaki, you know nothing about my head."

"Aside from the fact that it's empty you mean…"

"Be quiet and do your jobs. Acting like children won't help the matter," Amon snapped heatedly. The room went dead silent; four wide pairs of eyes went to him. "Michael, continue the surveillance, and keep me updated."

Amon strided over to his desk got his duster and headed for the elevator without turning back. His face was tight and grim as the doors closed before him.

"Whoa, what's with him?" Michael whistled blinking bewildered.

"Well it's obvious isn't it?" Karasuma said getting up and turning off her screen.

"No it's not, explain," Doujima pouted, she was used to getting yelled at by the chief but never by Amon. Amon was the glaring type, not the blowing-off-on-you type.

Karasuma didn't answer but simply pointed to an empty chair: Robin's empty chair.

"Robin? No she wasn't there when I woke up," Touko said sounding hurried, even a little bit edgy through the ear piece of Amon's cell phone. "I thought she had left early for a case so I didn't think much of it."

"She hasn't shown up or called in," Amon said leaning on his steering wheel, "Did she leave you a note?"

"No, and if she did I didn't see it," she said callously. A click sounded disrupting the line, "Look Amon, I'm getting another call. Why don't you just forget about Robin for a while, she'll show up eventually. Are we still on for tonight?" she added her tone softening slightly.

"I'm not sure," he answered bluntly watching as a mother passed by with a stroller and a walking toddler.

"Fine, bye."

The dead line droned into his ear until he broke of his stupor and turned it off. So Robin hadn't been there in the morning…she probably hadn't even slept there to begin with. This had happened before the Inquisitor's arrival in which she had simply disappeared. Back then he could have cared less but now…this was different. It seemed wrong—no, he knew something was wrong, but what?

'_Where are you?'_

Just exactly where was she? There was no usual noise like morning traffic or simple singing birds. It was dead silent. The only sound was the usual drip of water. Robin groaned feeling her head pound incessantly. Her neck was stiff from hanging her head for so long and the place where she had been sedated from felt swollen. She tried to speak but her throat felt like sand paper.

'_I'll be late for work,' _she thought imagining Amon's disapproving face. She could feel the corners of her mouth twitch. How could she smile at a time like this?

A sigh escaped her throat making her burst into racking, painful coughs that shook her chest. She could feel a sinus headache pounding above her eyes. Apparently being soaked to the bone in a below-freezing weather hadn't suited her, what a surprise. A sneeze escaped her, rocking her head, strands of hair caressed her face. Great, now her hair was loose.

She bit her lip and tried to calm down. For the first time Robin tried to clear her head. Okay, she had been kidnapped, bound and now was possibly of the verge of getting pneumonia. Sense of time was lost to her so she couldn't tell how long it had been, but this was all useless information. What about her kidnappers? Just exactly what were they after? They knew her name, power, and the fact that she was a hunter. She searched her brain trying to find a worthy suspect but only Touko and the master of Harry's came to mind. They were the only 'normal' people she had come in contact with since her arrival to Japan. Who else then? Thinking made her eyes water underneath the rag, but she couldn't just stop and sleep again. It was true that she was trapped and defenseless but she had to have control of some sort. She was a hunter after all this was another mission, she had to be strong and wait for the other hunters who were probably looking for her now. Yes…she just had to be patient.

Robin looked blindly around, there was a sound; like braking wheels coming to a sudden stop on gravel. Her throat constricted and her heart raced—no, she had to be strong, not scared.

A metal door screeched open spilling what felt like the sun's warm rays onto her legs. Robin heard heavy footsteps approach slowly. She wondered if the new-comer could hear her racing heart as loud as she could hear its steps.

"Robin?"

Her heart missed a beat. She wanted to be strong and courageous, refusing to feel anything else but the deliberation of it all. But… it was _him. _It was his voice, the voice she had heard first thing almost every morning upon waking up. She heard it and it made her weak all over again.

"Amon?"

"Robin, are you okay?"

The footsteps approached halting. Her dress rustled as he kneeled before her, "Robin, answer me, are you okay?"

Warm hands came in contact with her face. They lifted the rag to free her eyes. Piercing, bright sunlight made her wince but she didn't care. Her surroundings consisting of a spacious warehouse littered with newspaper and broken glass didn't matter, because he was here: Amon. His grey eyes bore into her and his ebony hair encompassed certain brilliance from the glowing sun. He was here, before her.

"Amon, you came," she croaked. He nodded solemnly as he reached around her neck. She hadn't even noticed until her pendant was grasped tightly in his hand.

"It'll be okay Robin, don't cry," he said wiping off her tears.

"Amon…"

Crunching gravel got her attention, making her rip her eyes from him. Someone was approaching; she could see their shadow approach in the outside. Was it Karasuma and the others? Or her kidnapers?

"Amon," she whispered but her throat wouldn't allow anything else.

'_Behind you, look behind you,' _she wanted to yell but he wasn't looking.

A stout man appeared in the doorway, his bald head shined brightly under the sun. He had a goatee and a cane. He came in and sat on a metal folding chair in the corner of the vast room groaning upon folding his left leg.

"Jung, stop playing with the girl," he muttered frowning.

"But I think she was about to kiss me," Amon said reproachably.

Robin looked down cautiously at the grey eyes, they were playful and cruel.

"Do you want to kiss me? I'm not into girls but you're cure, I'll make an exception," Amon smirked making Robin's eyes widen in horror.

Like a ripple of water Amon began to change. His hair grew out longer and turned pitch black. His face became ghostly white and his shape shrunk slightly. By the time it was done, a slim woman with Asian features knelt before Robin. Her almond-shaped eyes were blue, the color of a cold winter sky. By what she had just performed left no doubt in mind that she was fully bona fide witch.

The vision of the gone Amon burned into Robin's mind. Her stomach convulsed forcing her to gag and tremble, if there had been anything in her stomach she would've heaved it completely. No Amon, no true savior that had dabbed her tears, no one at all.

"You made her cry," the bald man grumbled crossing his arms.

"She was crying already," the woman snapped over her shoulder but turned to Robin with a wide pearly-white smile. "Stop shaking like a rabbit, you're hot partner will come soon enough, I'll make sure of that."

Before Robin could react, the woman got a long black bandana and covered her eyes once more, shunning her into darkness again.

"Okay, don't move sweetie, I have to put some flammable gel on this one too. You don't want it to get on your pretty face now, do you?" the woman cooed.

Some the gel dribbled onto Robin's face missing with her tears. She wasn't attempting to hold them back anymore. What for? She was a hunter first and foremost but that aside, she was simply a fifteen year old girl who was cold and scared out of her wits. She had seen Amon, felt his hand on her face even but instead of giving her hope or strength, it had shattered her. Was this what the woman Jung had been trying to do? To brake her completely? Well now she had it.

All Robin wanted was to be in Raven's Flat with the others, she wanted to be on a stake out with the real Amon for hours at a time, she wanted to go home.

"Missing, are you sure?"

Amon nodded rubbing his temples while accepting a drink from the master. The soft piano music in playing on the background emphasized the emptiness of the small restaurant Harry's was.

"Maybe she went of on her own like last time," the master said hopefully cleaning the bar's counter with a wet cloth.

"That's what the others think, but I took Michael off the last case so that he could investigate this," Amon muttered staring vacantly at his glass.

"So you believe this is serious?"

Amon opened his mouth to respond but closed it as someone took the stool right next to him. He didn't even bother to look until the person spoke.

"You looked troubled," a woman's voice said as soon as the master had gone to get her coffee.

A shock of blue eyes met him when he turned his head a fraction.

"I find it that when I'm worried about something, it's good to look outside the box, then in," the woman continued.

Amon grunted a reply only half-listening; he was too busy waiting for his cell phone to ring, which did a few minutes later.

"Hello Amon, where are you?" Touko's voice made him sigh in disappointment.

"At Harry's."

"It's four in the afternoon, don't you have a case?"

"No, Robin's missing."

There was a small silence, "I—I understand," Touko finally said softly, "I'm sorry, I hope you find her."

Amon hanged up not bothering to say goodbye and laid the phone before him.

"Oh, did she leave already?" the master came carrying a coffee.

Amon looked to the side where the woman had been not long ago. In her place stood a small box with a note attached.

_'I find it that when I'm worried about something, it's good to look outside the box, then in.'_

Amon barely heard the clatter of his falling stool as he rushed out. He burst outside compellingly making a walking couple stare. There was no one, not even passing cars. She was definitely gone.

He breathed heavily turning around fuming. She had been sitting right next to him and he had missed completely. He tore back into the restaurant cursing silently.

"Amon!" the master called out looking pale. The small box was open before him. On a soft square of cotton laid an all-too familiar blood-red pendant and a brown hair ribbon.

Amon, having not been prepared for the sight at all, looked intently without breathing. Thoughts milled about his head. Only one thought was clear through everything: he had to get her back.

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**This is the longest chapter I have written yet, wow, my wrists hurt. Well whatever, long as it is I felt it missed something…why don't you guys tell me what I did wrong? Read and review is all I ask. Of course writing things about Amon is always exhausting because I obviously don't know him personally so I don't know how he would react to things. I'm trying my best to keep everyone in character. I hope I did at least _that_ right.**


	3. Burning in Insanity

**Well, that was one BAD bought of writers' block. I couldn't come up with anything and everything I did get seemed completely wrong, na ja. Semester finals are approaching but this is much more important. Thanks for the reviews once more and I apologize for all the transitions in the POV through the story. I'm sure it was pretty confusing; it's just that every time I would try a divider the program would erase it even though I'm using Word and all… Okay, enjoy this chapter that I worked through tooth and nail to make for you guys. **

**(Note to BlueBlackMoon: You better be reading this thing cuz I'll need you to give me ideas later on. Oh and the thing that you lend me was freakin' hysterical LMAO, I can't believe you've had this allalong without watching it: Spike rocks! Call me when you review this. Oh, and update your own story already you lazy bum. :)**

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Louis Venzor worked in a private academy of the arts teaching the piano to children of rich Japan senators and undertakers. Aside from the fact that some kids were snobby and tended to start a sentence with 'My dad will…' if reprimanded, he loved the job. Many of the students were brilliant and nothing made his day more than his pupils playing like prodigies. He also liked getting up in the morning in his small two-room flat, staring out the window at the passing morning pedestrians and wonder if they were having a great morning like him. The picture perfect life of a satisfied bachelor, yes, that was Louis alright.

This morning wasn't different from any others. Louis woke up to his alarm and didn't even press the snooze button, why bother? It would be another great day after all.

Once showered and dressed Louis put on his favorite gray, silk tie before his bathroom cabinet mirror. A man in his early forties with graying auburn hair and quick hazel eyes stared back, a perfect man.

He joined the crowd in the streets and headed to his car waving good morning to many of the passerbys, they waved back, everyone liked Louis.

He arrived at school uneventfully in time as always and normal class began.

"Play me a G major scale Mia," he said kindly to a timid eleven-year old. She nodded shyly and did as told. Through the C flat he heard it clearly on the corner where the oldest piano was. Four boys who usually entertained themselves by carving fun words on the piano like 'Ben Dover' and 'My gold fish was here' were huddled in a circle trying very unsuccessfully to cover a small light that shone after a flicker. They gasped when they saw his gaze on them and tried to hide it looking indisputably guilty.

"Give me the lighter and go to the office boys," he said calmly, his expression not changing from passive teacher.

"I don't—!"

"Go, please all four of you."

"My dad will—."

"Give me the lighter."

Once in his hand Louis stared at the lighter which was silver and engraved, probably stolen from 'dad'. Kids nowadays…

He pocket it and went home, but not before taking a detour.

Louis liked parks, with green waving grass and blooming fragrant flowers, it gave him peace. Being November, he was deprived of that little satisfaction so he resolved to do other pleasurable activities.

"Where is our little captive?" he boomed cheerfully slamming open a great steel door. Straight ahead a small, shivering girl with disheveled hair and covered eyes was bound to a sturdy wood chair. Oh this was wonderful…

"Should we feed her, she's been here two days already."

A groan sounded as the bald man folded his leg and limped over to the smiling Louis.

"Oh, don't bother Masuo, where's Doyle and Jung?"

"Doyle is in the city, he doesn't want to help until his _time_ comes, but Louis, about the girl—"

"I said _don't_ bother, where is Jung?"

Masuo frowned shooting an off glance to the poor girl but didn't argue further, "She went for some smokes."

"Oh silly Jung," Louis shook his head while taking off his tie, "the STN is probably looking for her already, she's going to get caught."

"Aren't you worried? It might ruin the plan."

Louis's eyes flickered dangerously for a nanosecond, "Nothing is going to ruin the plan, dear Masuo, do you know why?"

Even in the heatless warehouse Masuo could feel perspiration forming in his brow, "No, why?"

"Because the plan is _flawless_."

"Oh—yes, of course," Masuo nodded hastily, but not at all reassured.

A swift sneeze followed by an uncontrollable cough caught their attention bringing another broad grin into Louis's face.

"You know what Masuo, maybe the poor child is hungry after all, bring her something," Louis said pleasantly, "take my car and bring her some cough syrup too."

With a look of surprise Masuo awkwardly caught the keys. His eyes traveled nervously from the sick girl to the smiling picture-perfect bachelor but did as told.

Once the door shut and the engine was begun Louis turned to the imprisoned girl.

"Hello Robin Sena, I'm sure you can recognize me. We met when you barely awoke," he began, walking stealthy towards her. "It makes me so happy you are here. You have no idea for how long I planed this, and it was _long_ let me tell you!"

His throaty laugh made Robin visibly shiver but she remained silent.

"Oh, once your little friends get here the party will officially begin," he leaned down to be face to face and reached inside his pocket, "Not that they will get here soon enough. I have little tests you see, three actually. The ones who survive them will join us here for a little rendezvous."

Robin held back a dry sob but pulled her hands against the hand cuffs instinctively, she could feel his reeking breath on her face.

Louis's bright expression faded as he took out the lighter and flicked it on.

"Do you want me to warm your face for you? It's a tad pale maybe you need a tan, the gel will toast it right up," he waved the flame to her chin. Robin whimpered and extended her neck away. "Oh you don't like getting burned, is that right? Well, how about all those sisters and brothers of the craft you have burned? Did they like it? Please tell me if they did."

Robin turned her face away but tears were already slipping through the edge of the bandana.

"Tell me!"

The shriek pierced and echoed the vast room and Louis himself looked surprised at the outburst.

"Sorry about that but you, little Robin Sena, wear me out," he sighed like he had sighed millionths of times at lazy students with clumsy fingers. "Why don't I give you a small taste of your discourteous actions against my kin until Masuo gets back? Then we will be able to tell him how you learned a valuable life lesson in his absence."

He reached for Robin's struggling left hand and held the lighter at the palm, "A lesson is pure good knowledge and knowledge never hurt anyone, but trust me when I say this will make you scream a bit."

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Raven's Flat had never been so somber in silence. The only sound heard was of continuous typing and the ticking of the clock, and even those sounds seemed dejected. The setting sun cast a flaming, orange light about, making all the room's occupants' faces look sickly and slight.

"The boss is out of town in business but he said we have to pursue this," the chief mumbled staring at Robin's empty computer station.

"Even if Zaizen wasn't here we would still pursue this," Sakaki pointed out heatedly.

Karasuma and Doujima nodded grimly in approval.

It had been a shock to be told by Amon that their youngest hunter and friend might be missing. It had been inconceivable and overwhelming to see him walk across the room with her hair ribbon in his hand, confirming their worst suspicions.

"If you are going to chat, do it outside, stop making noise," Michael grumbled rubbing his eyes before going back to the screen.

"We are waiting for you to figure it out Einstein," Doujima snapped, "And we can't go out, it's cold. Just how long will it take you to find out what that 'M' thing is, anyway?"

"It's not an 'M' _thing_; it's a highly complicated inherited symbol," Michael argued stubbornly, "So far the closest thing I have gotten from it is the Label from the marks of cadency knights in medieval times used to put these on their shields. It would show what child they were in the family; first born, second born etcetera. This 'M' could represent first born, first…first something."

Aside from the ribbon, there had been a note attached, but so far it hadn't proved to be of much use. The note was a simple white calling card with a squared-looking 'M' surrounded by a triangle with small flames on each point. Underneath it were the words:

'_You want something, but it is trivial. Look for the fresh purity in the night. Triumph and you might get a price'_

They obviously needed to search for something but it probably wouldn't lead them to Robin, or at least that's what Amon thought.

'It's a game,' he had said earlier upon entering with the new evidence, 'The person who kidnapped Robin wants to toy with us, see how far we can be pushed.'

From that point he had left to get information from 'contacts' he refused to name, ordering Michael to focus on the symbol hoping it would give them an idea as to who they were dealing with.

"Maybe there is a hidden meaning on the note," Karasuma said lifting the bag containing the note.

"Great, you get on that," Michael said offhandedly, "I'll just cross-reference this symbol to…this, and hope I don't get something weird again. I found this other one very similar except that the triangle had satanic runes. It might've seemed possible for them to have kidnapped Robin but it turned out to be a weird fan listing for a German rock band. Cool lead singer Marco with the 'schone angesicht' couldn't possibly have taken her."

"Why not?" Doujima argued coming to look behind his shoulder.

"They're on tour," he replied dryly, "Wait, we've got something but—."

Everyone neared the computer expectantly. The same symbol from the calling card was magnified ten times its size with a small descriptive paragraph in Russian. All three stared at it blankly, "Does anyone know how to read Russian?" Karasuma asked. Michael made a shooshing sound obviously reading.

"This isn't possible," Michael bit his lower lip and stared at the screen in a horrified trance, "They are not supposed to exist, it's just a myth."

"The rock band?"

"No, no, this is different" Michael turned pale but began to type frantically. "They are just a fable told by pacifists long ago to make hunters have nightmares about the horrible things they would do to witches. They don't exist; the Seekers, they just can't...

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Amon got into the elevator and pressed for the highest floor of Raven's Flat. With all the inside contacts he had among the city, it seemed no one knew of the symbol or of a possible kidnap. It was frustrating that he couldn't do anything just yet…

He reached into his breast pocket and extracted the blood-red pendant that had once hanged on his partner's neck, holding it gingerly on his palm. He traced his finger over the golden cross band, it felt warm…

The kidnapper had written, _'You want something, but it is trivial,'_ on the calling card.

For reasons Amon couldn't fathom it made him strangely angry.

Robin…trivial…

Was that right? When Amon got his hands on the captor, he would show him just how _trivial_ and meaningless Robin was to him…

He gripped the pendant tightly in his hand until the cross dug deeply into his palm as the elevator doors opened to the last floor.

He would look for the _'fresh purity in the night,_' he would play the game and hope that the winning price consist of that trivial thing he wanted so much.

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Masuo bandaged the small hand as delicately as he could. It was a hard job seeing as the poor flesh was entirely swollen and blistered. The girl had whimpered constantly while he had put medicine on it but hadn't cried out. Maybe that was why Louis had been raging when Masuo had arrived: the girl hadn't screamed or made a sound during the torture which wasn't any fun to him.

"It'll be okay once it stops hurting," Masuo whispered softly to her. He highly doubted this himself; they were at least third degree burns and needed medical attention which was out of the question. As for the pain, no painkiller he could buy over the counter could make the girl forget that all the skin over her palm was long gone.

"Stop talking to her," Louis snapped from the corner where he was sitting sulking twiddling with his grey tie.

"Why not talk to her when she's so cute?" a rasping voice came from the shadows on the door.

Louis's face visibly brightened as he stood up, "Doyle, I suppose Jung told you it's time?"

"She told me I could have some fun now," the voice wheezed.

"Affirmative!" Louis laughed, "Take down as many as you can."

The disembodied voice in the darkness breathed raggedly and then the door slammed shut sending a November breeze pass over them.

Louis shivered but more of excitement than cold, "It now begins, isn't this wonderful Masuo? This is making me so happy; I wish all those hobos in the streets could feel just like me!"

The truth was that every perfect morning of every perfect day when Louis Venzor woke in the morning and looked out his window he didn't appreciate anyone on the street, he dreamed of the day when he would be able to kill them of one by one without anyone being in his way. Kill them and let his brothers and sisters live in peace, a very much-deserved peace. But the day would come soon he just knew it; the girl would make it happen.

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**Was this long too? Whoa man…I think I make the chapters too long because I add too many extra things to the plot, is that annoying to you guys? Should I stop doing that and just hurry up and get to the point without elaborating further? I hate those kinds of stories but if that is what you people want… Read, review and tell me stuff. Oh and the German in the story was 'beautiful face.'**


	4. Bleed for Me

**Ho-Hum people. Santa is approaching with his stoned deer and beer belly which means what? Winter Vacation! Like music to my ears. You know what it also means? More time for updates, YAY. It gets exhausting trying to stick this in while pretending to 'understand' Pre-Ap Bio and failing wondrous Geometry. Good thing my parents could care less what I do with my spare time after school. Anyhow, let us proceed with this new chapter. I have seriously taken into consideration some of the great reviews you guys left. I pondered on it for hours at a time…while watching TV but pondered nonetheless, and I came to the conclusion that I can't really please everyone, whether it is longer chapters or more interesting things aside from the story line, I'll just try my best to quench my own writing thirst. (Whooohoo, cool analogy) **

**(Note to BlueBlackMoon: I CAN'T believe you forgot how to download documents…tis' not that hard my dear but if you really can't figure it out I'll teach you again. Now read my story Bluey and be dead honest like I've forced you to be before or else….oh man, I can just hear you giggling like a lunatic at that…)**

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_'The irony of a hunter being hunted…being a witch'_

_The gun barrel shined with the light of the glowing moon, its owner stood in the shadows cocking it up. It moved in slow motion and settled on…her._

_Robin tried to yell, tried to stop the person but her craft was gone, she knew it was gone…_

_She tried to say that it was all a mistake, she wasn't a witch, she wasn't!_

_The trigger was pulled and the world froze. Robin could see it coming, heading right at her palpitating heart. Split thoughts crossed her mind, such as that she only wanted to live, to have a purpose. _

_But…she was a hunter, wasn't that her purpose, and if so was it so warped it now caused her to die?_

_The bullet was near, only a couple of feet away when someone erupted from the shadows._

_Amon rushed forward and stood before her._

'_No Amon, don't,' her voice was soft like a whisper even if she tried to yell. 'Move Amon,' she implored but he merely looked down on her apathetically like he had a million times before._

'_Move…'_

_Amon blinked in pain as the bullet reached its mark, the world unfroze and he toppled over her with the force of the hit._

'_Amon!'_

_She sat on the ground and put his head on her lap watching him stare up at her with watering eyes, he was dying. A lock of hair crossed over his face and she reached over to brush it aside but stopped. Her hands were covered no— soaked in his blood._

'_Why would you bleed for me?' she asked hoarsely feeling his weak hand grip hers._

'_If you are not a witch,' the shooter spoke, 'then why do you hurt everyone around you?'_

_Robin shook her head, she wasn't a witch, no not her._

_The shooter emerged from the shadows with blinking green eyes overflowing with tears._

_Robin looked down at him and at the gun at her hand. She had shot him and now her hands dripped with his blood, his life._

_The life he had given up just to protect her._

"Amon!" Robin shrieked opening her eyes only to see darkness. She breathed raggedly feeling her heart on her throat. It had been a dream, only a stupid dream but…

She had murdered Amon, it was all her fault.

Her hands, even the heavily bandaged one, pulled roughly against the metal without any improvement.

_'I can't be here, I have to be at Raven's Flat living—living,'_ she thought grunting while pulling at the handcuffs some more. _'Amon and the others will be mad, I have to—.'_

"Did the little hunter have a nightmare?" the voice of the woman Jung said. Crunching glass made Robin stop and brace herself for something new. Her left hand still throbbed like a whole new heart, it was a surprise she had been able to sleep with the excruciating pain.

"Let the child be," the elderly voice of Masuo broke in, "Louis gave her a hard time last night."

"You said 'Amon' right?" Jung continued, apparently ignoring Masuo. Robin's face tightened once an ice cold hand began to caress her cheeks. "That will be your tall, bitter partner I suppose? I don't really understand what you see in him. Don't get me wrong, he is handsome but on all four months I've tailed and stalked him he seemed like…well, like _very_ boring."

"Jung, don't be telling her—."

"Stalked? You stalked Amon, why?" Robin croaked, speaking directly to them for the first time.

"I have to study a person closely before I can transform into them," Jung answered conversationally continuing stroking her face, "I would love to be you for a day, you have such wonderful skin…say, would you mind if I went to him as you? Maybe we could have a little fun, him and me…"

"Stop it Jung," Masuo snapped before Robin could react, "Louis will reproof you for telling her this, he also won't approve of you trotting in front of the lead hunter for just fun."

"I was _joking_ old man!" Jung scoffed frustrated. She removed her hand in a fast, angry move, leaving thin nail marks on Robin's face. "You and that bigot can never take a dumb joke."

"Be quiet and get out of my face," Masuo raged, "You're supposed to go help Doyle with the hunters today, can you at least go do that?"

Jung stomped to what Robin guessed was the door, "I can do that and much more," Jung said softly, opening the door and slamming it. Robin led out an air of relieve, the woman was gone, she was gone…

A tired sigh reached her ears, "Don't mind her, child. Jung is young yet and has much to learn about subtly."

For the second time a hand came to her face but it was warm and soft. She winced when alcohol came in contact with the scratch marks without notice. The odor of it was strong but it only awakened her senses.

"What do you want from me?" her voice sounded husky and strained even to her.

"Trust me when I tell you child that you are better off not knowing," his warm hand left her, only so that the warmed part of her face chilled with the moist of the drying alcohol.

Robin didn't pursue it further and remained silent. So they wouldn't tell her, would they? They had ulterior motives; it wasn't a silly kidnap for ransom. These people were…witches? But how was that possible, maybe she was jumping into conclusions. It wasn't like her eyes had been free to wander about. No one had displayed powers aside from Jung.

Robin shivered at the memory of it. Amon had been there consoling her not too long ago, then again Amon had been in her dreams dying for her not too long as well.

'_Neither was real,'_ she thought stubbornly She had to believe it or else simply loose it and wallow in guilt, but...

It hadn't been her fault she had been kidnapped, or that Amon and the others were probably looking for her now. Or that maybe they were in a peril of some sort. It wasn't her fault; she had simply been caught unawares.

'_If you are not a witch, then why do you hurt everyone around you?'_

Robin gasped; she could feel it, the dark wetness of Amon's blood all over her cold-chapped hands, dripping.

It wasn't real, not real…..

'_Don't bleed for me Amon'_

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"Seekers don't exist," Amon said bluntly.

"I know that," Michael nodded absently sending the image of the symbol to all of their screens. Amon's eyes narrowed at the figure with the Label and triangle but remained silent. Michael took that as permission to continue, "Seekers are part of a lore that was told around the time of the Crusades—."

"We know that already," Karasuma interrupted edgily.

"I'm doing this for those who don't" Michael snapped just as impatiently gesturing at the three people with the looks of bewilderment on their faces.

"Continue already," Sakaki muttered.

"Okay, like I was saying, Seekers were said to be bands of witches that, well, 'seeked' those who slayed their kind. They would use their powers on the people gradually, not killing them at first, just harming them from the shadows so as to affect their everyday life. Most of the victims were said to be inquisitors and priests."

"Okay, this all seems very realistic to me, why is it considered a fable?" Doujima asked rotating the symbol on her screen.

"Stop playing with my graphics." Michael snapped, "It is a fable because there were no written records on it at the time. Now hunters think it is a simple story tale probably because of all the technology and advances. We are too sure of ourselves, thinking we have control of every witch out there.

"This story was passed on by word of mouth, only until a century ago our ancestors got smart enough to write it down…well as a fairy tale but they still wrote it."

"Do you think they were the ones who took Robin?" Karasuma asked beginning to look sick in the dim light of the room. "I mean, is it even possible, you said it was just a story, Robin can't possibly be in the hands of witches."

"The symbol in the calling card is genuine, but whether the kidnappers are copycats or I don't know, the _real_ thing I'm not sure."

"That is our job," Amon cut in, "We will try to find whatever the calling card told us. Now that we have a vague idea as to what we are after we can start with that."

"Okay, this is it," Michael muttered changing their screens to the written words of the calling card.

"What does it mean by the 'fresh purity in the night'?" the chief asked looking above Doujima's shoulder.

"Maybe it means…uh…"

"Sakaki, there is nothing fresh and pure about 'uh', maybe it is a virgin girl, she would be fresh and pure," Doujima offered.

In a flash five pairs of eyes turned and bore onto her, "Okay stupid idea, but you can't say I was wrong can you?"

"Am I the only one who is worried that Robin might be with witches?" Karasuma blurted exasperated, "They kidnapped her so easily even though she has her craft, Robin—Robin isn't a mere child who can get taken by strangers in a mall or on the street! And while we have been discussing German rock stars she could have been—!"

"No, you are not the only one," Amon retorted getting up from the conference table glaring heatedly at her, "She's still out there waiting for us to rescue her, nothing will happen to her, _nothing._"

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A car approached but he didn't look back keeping his eyes glued at the cold majestic blue sky. He exhaled the smoke from his cigarette and watched it turn into a faint cloud above his head. To him it looked like a hippo…or maybe a flamingo…

"Doyle, you bastard, pay attention to me!" Jung called out shutting off the engine. He turned to look beyond his shoulder to give a disdainful look to the Asian woman.

"I told Louis I could do this alone, go away," he inhaled once more and resumed his study of the sky.

Jung approached him from behind and grabbed his cigarette.

"Give me that!"

She laughed tossing it to the curb and stepping on it, "You shouldn't smoke these, they'll kill you. Besides, you sound like you are choking every time you talk."

"Bite me," he wheezed taking out another one and lighting up.

Jung shrugged and turned her attention to the sight a few yards away, "When did you do this?"

"Two days ago," he coughed.

Jung's eyes lit up while observing the sight that extended more than a hundred yards.

"Wow, you have my seal of approval, it's perfect."

Doyle stared at the woman with narrowed eyes, "Gee thanks, because you know I wouldn't be able to live without your approval."

"Don't give me sarcasm boy," Jung turned to him with a hungry anticipation on her face, "This is going to be great, the hunters won't know what hit them."

Doyle flicked his new cigarette to the curb and stomped on it angrily, "Don't even think about it, I said I would do it alone. I won't share my glory with you."

She rolled her eyes like she would to a little kid, "I don't want glory, I just want in."

"No."

"Why not? If I join you it will make things ten times better, the hunters will _cry_ after we are done with them if you let me help."

Doyle looked at his own hundred-yard masterpiece to hide the flicker of interest in his expression.

"What do you mean by that?"

Jung got close to see beyond his shoulder, smiling deviously, "I mean me plus you equals STN hunters on the ground…you won't get such a great outcome by yourself."

Doyle looked up at the sky again with slightly blood-shot watery brown eyes that crinkled with malice, "You're in."

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"Water is both pure and fresh," Michael argued for the fifth time.

"But how can you be sure it's water, it can be the country air for all we know!" Sakaki rejoined edgily.

They sighed in unison and returned to the search engine in their computers.

Three hours had passed in which all four hunters and Michael had done extensive search on anything that might help them with the clue. So far they had come up with rain forests, virgins and several soft drinks that even though quenched thirst, it didn't help them find Robin.

"I still think it's water," Michael muttered grudgingly.

"Maybe…it is," Doujima got up excitedly brandishing a newspaper, "Look at this, a new spring water pond erupted from the ground on the outsides of Osaka!"

"So?"

"It happened two days ago and two days ago—."

"Robin was kidnapped," Amon finished picking up his trench coat, "This is our only lead now, let's go with it."

"But it could be something else," Michael disputed taking the newspaper from Doujima. "We can't really know for sure, it could very well be a trap too. If they are witches or the Seekers then it is definitely a trap, we would have to be prepared Amon—Amon!"

"He's not listening," the chief whispered softly while everyone stared at the once gloomy hunter rush about the room. He collected a map, loaded his orbo gun and picked his cell phone.

"Don't stand there lets go," with that he hurried to the elevators but decided it was too slow and headed for the stairs.

"What is with him? He's acting far too reckless," Doujima complained picking her coat and car keys.

"You guys go ahead…I'll go with Amon," Karasuma said hurrying to the stairs too.

Karasuma's heels gave a huge echo as she ran after Amon in the parking basement. She could see him opening his car and tossing everything in on the passenger side thoughtlessly, "Amon! Amon, stop!"

"Did you get the coordinates of the pond from Michael?"

"No, I didn't," she reached over and slammed his door shut before he could get in, "Get a hold of yourself Amon, your concern is staring to take over you."

Amon in a show of exhaustion leaned on the hood of the car and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and turned to her looking like a true stoic, "This is not concern, Robin has many valuable information of the STN-J. They could easily get it out of her."

Karasuma shook her head smiling kindly, "You may not think it's true but I do know you. I am the longest hunter that has remained working with you. I might even take the liberty of calling you my friend… Amon you are being emotional about what has happened to Robin, not rational."

"You are wasting time," he said calmly but his jaw muscle clenched painfully, "Let's go Karasuma."

"Logic and emotions don't mix, it is physically impossible. If you are going to get Robin back without anything happening to her, you'll have to be in control. I understand how you are feeling—."

"I'm fine, you are the one who's poignant not me," he said opening the door with such force that she had to jump back before it hit her, "We have work to do not discuss my feelings."

"You are wishing right now," Karasuma continued struggling to shut the door while he tried to keep it open, "that you could trade places with her! That they had kidnapped you instead just so that you wouldn't feel what you are feeling now!"

Amon stepped back and let Karasuma shut the door with a bang, "I'm being coherent Karasuma, feelings have nothing to do with it we are wasting time."

Karasuma bore her eyes into his vacant grey ones trying to pry truth out of his words. Finally satisfied she opened the door for him to get in but not before looking up sadly at him, "Timing is all wrong, huh? You should have told her earlier."

His face tightened as he got in ignoring her. Karasuma shook her head in resignation and went around to get on the passenger seat.

Amon watched her walk around the vehicle and glared at himself through the rearview mirror, "I know I should have…"

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**Done! I thought I would be done by Friday night but I guess I was more inspired than I thought. Cool. Okay so Amon and Robin fought some inner demons in this chapter. I can't really say their fight is over though. Read and review people, I crave the attention. Happy Joyous Holidays!**


	5. Fire and Water

**Well, so much for having extra time for the story—well, I mean, I do have time, but I got a small bout of writer's block and then it didn't help that my loading document thing was messed up. I actually finished this chapter half a week ago...I just couldn't load it, sorry. Okay well, it was fixed by the wonderful support technitians of the site or whatnot (you guys are my heros). Thingies are gonna happen in this chapter, then again thingies happen in every chapter. Oh well, enjoy the joy of it all people and don't forget to give me a penny for your thoughts afterwards--review! **

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Midnight darkness was upon them as they reached their destination. It was far out in the country where no city light pollution infested the night sky letting abundant stars show of their eternal brilliance, but none could simply stop and admire them. Doujima stared out the window to the pitch black scenery vaguely aware of her reflection blinking back at her.

"If you keep sighing like that I'm gonna have to tape your mouth shut," Sakaki said turning on the bright lights on the headlights to see farther. The road was made out of dirt and the occasional pothole, and they could only see as far as the lights would brighten, aside from that they were going blind.

"I'm sorry, I feel so bad," Doujima said quietly turning to him.

Sakaki risked a glance off the road to look at her hastily, "I didn't mean it, don't feel bad about it."

"Not about the sighing dork, I meant about Robin," she shook her head turning to the window again, "She is younger than all of us, she doesn't have to be going through this, it's not fair."

The car rocked while going through four shallow holes at a time. Sakaki managed the steering wheel furiously while replying calmly, "It is not fair and it is not your place to be beating yourself about it either. Robin is younger, that was probably why they thought she was the weakest link of all of us."

Doujima closed her eyes briefly and wiped them impatiently with the back of her hand, "She's my friend you know."

"She's a friend to all of us," he said patiently throwing her a wrinkled napkin he had stuffed in his jeans' pocket while at Harry's earlier.

"No, you don't get it," she sniffled, "She's _my_ friend, just so that you know, I don't have many of those."

"I'm your friend too," he reminded her wryly, "That is if you like me…I don't think you like me."

"Yeah, well what you think doesn't matter," she replied shortly.

"So you do?"

They drove in silence after that paying attention to the occasional pebble that would bounce of their windows. The headlights of Amon's car were right behind them, having as much difficulty with the road as them.

"Robin is important to Amon, _I'm _not even good enough to be a friend to Amon let alone important," Doujima continued.

"_No one_ is good enough for Amon," Sakaki corrected.

"Well, Robin is! She got here and—and he just folded, you know?" she blew her nose loudly before adding, "Totally unexpected and weird, he's at least ten years older than her."

Sakaki blinked confusedly, "How is that relevant if they're just friends?"

Doujima shook her head in mock disappointment, "Guys are _so_ dense."

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_'You know it's not love…'_

"Take my hand and squeeze."

Robin blinked behind the bandana aroused from a stupor of memories. She tried to clear her throat but it was closed up and dry.

"Take my hand girl, with your burned one and squeeze, see how it's healing," Masuo's gentle voice repeated. She obliged unwillingly, the pain returned practically every time she breathed, applying pressure couldn't possibly make it better. He reached over and nudged his hand just barely so that she could feel it by her finger tips.

As expected, Robin almost keeled over from the pain as she squeezed his elderly hand delicately.

"Shh, it's okay," he ushered kindly as she began to whimper in agony.

Pain

_'He put them through the pain because he felt he had to…'_

_'Why? You know it's not love Amon, it can't be'_

_'Love? No, his own mania and selfishness led him to it, he's a witch Robin.'_

Masuo retrieved his hand but brushed her palm accidentally making her hold her breath. With the small amount of medicine Louis had forced to take now her mounting cold symptoms had stopped but she could still feel discomfort in her lungs. They hurt slightly as if she had just finished having another coughing fit or had done a triathlon. She would hold her breath for periods at a time so that the pain would lessen but her brain would protest sending stomach-flipping dizzy spells. Robin found herself wondering ever since if that is what they had felt—the children.

Robin shuddered at the memory. Three children, no older than six, suffocated along with their mother in a small apartment on the suburbs of Tokyo. The father had had his powers emerge from him without warning. He could suck the breath out of people by just putting his hand on their chests. The mere power had driven him mad making him rampage about the apartment building. When the STN had arrived and he felt surrounded without any hopes of escape, he had shut himself on the small bathroom with his wife and children, and killed them one by one. Robin had cried she hadn't exactly known why at the time. It hurt to see those little kids on the floor and their mother holding them lovingly even in death. Her emotions had gone overboard for some reason or other and she had cried with true inner pain for the first time since her phase of childhood and scabbed knees had ended.

When the witch had been captured he admitted to have killed them because he knew he would be going to 'jail' and if he wouldn't be happy on the inside then he didn't see how they deserved to be happy on the outside without him. It had been a heart wrenching case; Karasuma and Doujima had cried as well and even Sakaki hadn't managed to mask the rage he was feeling at the time.

_'Emotions can't be part of the job as a hunter,' _Amon had told her while watching the Factory take the crazed witch away. _'Crying won't bring them back Robin, crying doesn't make anything better.'_

But the tears trickling from her eyes did make _her_ feel better at least. Amon knew this and didn't say more. He disapproved of her getting emotionally involved but what about him? Wasn't _he_ emotionally involved? It had been him who had offered his shoulder for her to cry on after noticing that she wasn't going to stop weeping any time soon after all.

That had been the first and only time she had been held by him even though somewhat stiffly. At home upon going to sleep Robin realized he had tried extremely hard to comfort her in his own Amonish way. She had never thanked him…

Now, kidnapped and kept from everything she held dear, Robin felt like crying like she had back then. For herself this time not for poor young children…herself.

But she would cry alone, Amon's shoulders weren't here.

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"Don't stray too far, we must stay together," Karasuma ordered so quietly the others had to hold their breath in order to hear her, "Sakaki, keep the flashlight leveled."

The moon was nowhere to be seen therefore they were out and about in the wilderness with no light source except for a small hand flashlight Amon kept in his glove compartment. They walked steadily to the pond tripping occasionally on abandoned rabbit holes.

The soft glimmer of water announced their arrival twenty minutes later. It was a great sight that stretched for over a hundred yards or at least that was Michael had said being as how they couldn't see it completely themselves in the darkness.

"Do you think Robin is here somewhere?" Sakaki whispered tripping and griping Doujima's elbow for balance on the process.

"Don't touch me, what's wrong with you?"

"Shh," Amon wrenched the flashlight from Sakaki and pointed it frantically to the shadows behind them, "Did you hear that?"

In unison the four hunters pointed their guns to a pair of trees where movement stirred behind them. With their guns cocked they stood like statues daring whatever it was to step out. To their displeasure and shock a flock of ravens took of from the tree's branches into the night filling the space with sounds of flapping wings and fierce bird calls. The four hunters cursed under their breaths but not before noticing a persisting sound that they thought had belonged to the fleeing birds but now with the birds gone…

"It's the water," Sakaki muttered unnecessarily since their gazes had drifted to the body of water already.

Roughly to the middle of the pond they could see a whirlpool was forming like that of an empting sink. They watched entranced as it spun furiously even in the dim glare of the flashlight. Just when they thought it couldn't get any stranger, the water stopped its' movement.

"A witch must be close by," Karasuma said, not bothering to keep her voice down any longer, "Lets separate and search the perimeter."

"Or we could just stay together," Doujima pointed to the shore where the ponds' water touched land. The water seemed to be retreating in a swift pace.

"I don't like this," Karasuma turned to Amon who pointed the flashlight hastily to the water beyond. Sounds of small waves crashing into one another scared small animals and birds making them scurry out of their homes, or maybe it was something else…

Far off in the pool the water was collecting, getting higher by the second.

"It's going to hit us," Sakaki gasped taking a step back into a rabbit hole and falling right on his rear. Amon reached down without taking his eyes of the growing tide and gripped his forearm tightly and pulled him up.

"Run!" Doujima shrieked pushing them all which served to wake them from the stupefied trance the oncoming threat had created. They all turned on their heels feeling the tides' magnitude and danger spike some adrenaline into them.

They hadn't gone more than five yards when a light flashed before them. It was spontaneous causing them to halt immediately. Similar light spurted all around them blurring and hurting their eyes. It took them another of Doujima's terrified shrieks to make them realize that it wasn't simple light, it was fire. It was a trap.

The fire blazed and crackled as if it had been burning for hours. Thick smoke that added to the nights' darkness collected in their noses making them choke and stung their eyes. The night was no longer silent but filled with the sounds of crashing waves, roaring flames and coughs.

"Amon, what do we do?" Karasuma managed to yell above all the other noise.

Amon shook his head pointedly while covering his mouth and nose with his arm as if saying, 'Don't panic, anything else but that.'

He held his gun up looking about for something useful, anything that might help them. His eyes fell on two figures beyond the inferno. He squinted and approached the fire closely as he dared to make them out. The smoldering heat seared the bottom seam of his trench coat but he didn't back off especially when a familiar pale face became clear beyond the dancing flames.

Robin stood placidly in a safe distant. A breeze he couldn't feel because of the heat ruffled her loose hair and lengthy dress. Her hands were clasped into one another as she looked back directly at him. Beside her was a man with wild curly hair and an inane grin plastered on his face smoking a cigarette. They stood side by side looking at the pitiful sight of the four hunters about to be burned or drowned to death.

Doujima yelled in fright the arrival of the tide but Amon didn't bother to look back. Instead he aimed and shot continuously. The man dropped his cigarette and clutched at his ribs. Robin's calm face became angry in the glow of the fire and she turned to him. He could see it coming from her eyes just like he'd seen it dozen of other times before. But not one single time since he had gotten to know her had Amon thought it possible for her to use it on him…to turn those emerald eyes on him. The power of the craft caught him square in the chest and he gasped in a breath-full of smoke and flying ash. He felt his gun drop form his grip before he could feel the burn. All at once a force from behind threw him forward and pain without breath became his whole world.

-----------------------------

"He—got me."

Jung saw the tide hit the mark perfectly making her smile wide. It was done, the hunters were down…for now. She sighed and let her craft wash all over her, shape-shifting her to her true self. Her whole body became numb at the change as she pictured carefully herself in her mind. An uncomfortable tingle announced the end of the change. When done she sighed and giggled, it had all been too perfect.

"It hurts…"

Her self-control had been tested as she had tried to not laugh like an idiot at the trapped hunters like the moron Doyle had done. The hunter Amon had seen them which wasn't all that bad, that was why she had taken the girl's features after all. She could see the disbelieve and confusion surface on his face…and she _loved_ it.

"Jung…help me—."

"Oh shut up already," she snapped looking down at Doyle who was withering on the grass clutching his side. "You're kinda ruining this for me."

"That…bastard, I'll kill…kill," Doyle panted, drops of sweat forming on his brow.

Jung rolled her eyes and scooted down to search around his coat pockets, "How, are you going to kill him huh? By breathing heavily at him, perhaps? Or no—I know! By giving him cancer with your second hand smoke."

"Don't…be a…bitch," he wheezed glaring daggers at her.

"Oh honey, what else can I be?" she stood up with a pair of keys jingling freely in her hand, "I'd love to stay and watch you die slowly but my beauty sleep calls me, bye!"

"Help—me," he gasped his eyes beginning to widen in sudden despair.

"Why?" Jung turned looking down at him fiercely in repulsion, "You're tainted."

With that she tossed her long hair casually to the side and marched of to his car, hers was just across the pond but it was much older and more beat up than his so she could easily take his as a token of their past friendship. It wasn't like he would need it in the next life anyways.

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Amon opened his eyes to a blinding brightness. He winced and tried to lift one of his arms to cover his face only to yell out in pain.

"You dislocated your shoulder, don't try and move it," a faint voice ordered beside him. As if the discomfort in his eyes wasn't enough, the person prodded them open with nimble fingers and flashed another piercing light in. "Your torso has small burns and you cut your eyebrow open but we stitched it shut."

With great effort and fight against pain Amon forced his eyes open. He was in a plain white, sanitary hospital room. His pulse beeped in the machines beside him and the IV in his arm was something else to add to the soreness. The light that had bothered him before was the shining sun bursting through a large window to the side. It looked like the beginning of a new day.

"Where are the others?" he grunted trying to sit up with the help of his uninjured arm. The doctor marked something in his clipboard while looking at his watch. He was an elderly man with snow white hair and quick black eyes and had the look of a man who had lost weight in a short time. His eyes had large bags under them, probably from a continuous lack of sleep. "Your friends are awake too with the exception of one. I'm afraid her condition is critical."

After several minutes of argument and severe warnings about his injuries, Amon had been led in a wheel chair to a room in intensive care. Sakaki was there already in crutches with a brace on his right leg and a bruised lip. There were several little cuts around his face that made it look like he had tried to cut rose bushes with his face. He smiled faintly in greeting at Amon and made a gesture with his head to the inside of the room.

Doujima, who seemed to have escaped with only cuts to her face and arms, stood by the bed crying softly. A fragile looking woman with a broken arm and, according to the doctor, broken ribs laid on the bed looking as if she was in a peaceful sleep. Her pulse in the machine was slow and weak.

Amon stood up from his wheelchair despite the protests of the young nurse who had brought him. He walked stiffly into the room to stand by Doujima's side, closely followed by the limping Sakaki.

"The water made her hit a tree," Doujima said gravely, "She hit her head really hard…her brain's swelling."

Unable to say more Doujima backed off the bed and leaned her head against the window sobbing freely.

Amon and Sakaki looked down at the shadow of the strong woman Karasuma used to be. They had never seen her this way. It seemed perfectly inconceivable for her to look so vulnerable. Not Karasuma…

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"One hunter down, three more to go," Louis muttered distractedly after Jung had completed her full report of last night. He looked down at his solitaire game wondering if there were any more moves.

"Yes but we lost Doyle," Jung counteracted annoyed at his lack of attention. "One of the hunters shot him before the wave hit…poor Doyle died instantaneously."

"Mmh," Louis nodded in agreement of whatever she had just said.

"Oh well, a loss, is a loss," he finally announced collecting his game cards, apparently disappointed he had lost.

"Yes, is it my turn sir?" Jung asked her pale eyes wide with anticipation.

"We can't do the next step right away," Masuo argued interrupting their conversation for the first time. "The hunters are injured; we need to give them time to heal, maybe another week."

"Another week?" Jung repeated incredulously eyeing the bald man with venom. "They're weak; this is the time to strike."

"Louis, you said in the beginning of this that you would beat them at their own game," Masuo urged Louis before he could agree with Jung, "If they are crawling in the ground too early in the game, you won't enjoy it at all."

This seemed to ring truer than Jung's logic to Louis who gave a single nod in agreement, "One week to the idiots, then your turn will come Jung."

He began a whole new game, indicating that the discussion was over. Jung bit her lip fuming at them both and stormed out the warehouse sending pieces of grass flying everywhere.

"What a feisty child, that Jung," Louis commented entranced in his game.

Masuo sighed in a private relief and turned to Robin who had gone even more white than before. Her hands were clutched into tight fists that shook with cold, anger, or fear, he couldn't tell which.

A hunter was down, which one? And if they were 'down', what exactly did it imply? None of them could possibly be—?

No, not that, anything but that. Robin cursed silently in her mind. Cursed these witches,cursed herself for being so weak...and afraid.

She could burn the bandana and burn her face in the process but it would be worth it if she could simply escape. Or maybe she could talk Masuo into something, he seemed nice enough, he pitied her.

Do something—anything, by the sounds of it time was running out. People she cared about were dying, in order to protect and save her.

Blood would be shed probably at her mercy. After hours of simply sitting and hearing the things that were going on because of her, Robin had come to that conclusion. She would stain her hands, soak them if needed but she would get free and all the pain would stop.

* * *

**I'll be back in a short amount of time, no--please don't cry, it's okay. I don't want to cause heartache. In a lighter note, I had begun to notice Robin was acting like a damsel in distress with no back bone. I mean, she's not completely helpless so I really have to stop making her seem like it. I admit it was my fault poor Robin turned into a cry baby and I apologize, but we still have to see how this will all turn out. Bis Spater!**


	6. Lie to Yourself

**Hullo little people of my life and soul. Happy new years! Okay, this chapter contains lots of goodness cuz' I'm thinking of writing just a few more chapters so I have to make this roll sooner than later. It depends on how I feel the plot is going… Read and review because I'm quite irresolute on how I ended this, was it a cliff hanger? I'm unsure since I'm not too familiar with the cliffies but please R&R. **

* * *

"Robin wouldn't do that to us," Doujima said shrilly from her lonesome spot in the conference room. "She was kidnapped; she's being kept somewhere waiting for us to rescue her." 

Amon rubbed his temples for the millionth time that morning. Things were culminating, things that were out of total control. Karasuma's health for example, it was deteriorating slowly and modern medicine could do nothing for her. The three of them had been discharged four days ago with prescriptions of very strong painkillers and gauze to retreat their wounds once in a while. Sakaki would have to go again to see when he could drop the brace from his leg and Amon had to go to get his stitches removed from his eyebrow. His shoulder was still in excruciating pain but he dealt with it in his brooding silence.

Another thing that couldn't be helped was Amon telling the others of Robin's past actions. As much as he had liked to keep it to himself, tell himself over and over it had been a mirage caused by the smoke, the dutiful hunter in him kept him from doing just that.

"It could have been a hallucination on my part but Robin was there last night," as soon as the words were out of his mouth he wanted to take them back because saying it out loud like that…it made it sound so much more real, more true.

"M-maybe the witches got to her," Sakaki grunted while trying to lift his injured leg to the spare chair next to him. "They made her do it since, uh, you know, she's at their mercy and stuff."

"Yeah, they probably threatened her with something or—or maybe she was protecting us!" Doujima piped hopefully, looking from one to the other for a sort of approval but both simply stared back giving almost a pitying look.

"What could she have possibly thought was more dangerous than the killer tsunami coming towards us?" Sakaki asked her gently as to not tear her hope too early. "She trapped us for some reason but to 'protect' us probably wasn't high on the list."

"Amon, you don't think it was really Robin do you?" Doujima turned to Amon who surprisingly gave a start at being directed to the conversation again, "Not the Robin we know. She couldn't have been in her right state of mind."

Amon looked away from those big optimistic blue eyes that were screaming for him to agree, any reassurance would be fine, even lies would be welcomed just as long they weren't given another reason to cry again.

"Robin—she, she wasn't acting like herself," he declared lamely turning away from the two young hunters who had exchanged looks of deep relief. As they started to discuss ways and reasons for Robin's newly acquired agenda Amon rubbed his temples and tried to stop those last images of her attacking and the craft of her fire burning his chest… He had kept that little detail for himself just like he had kept Robin's blood red pendant hidden deep in his trouser pocket. If they could endeavor with denial he didn't see why he couldn't. Well, actually he knew hundredths of protocol reasons why he shouldn't but he couldn't help it.

The Robin he knew would have never done what she did to her fellow hunters. The Robin he knew would've never turned her eyes—her craft on him, of all people, and he knew this in the bottom of his stoic heart. But that didn't stop the nagging voice of reason in the back of his mind that asked conspicuously over and over, _'But do you really know her? Did you ever?'_

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Robin's skin was full of goose bumps. Not because of the freezing ripples of wind that had been seeping in to the rundown warehouse, or because Louis had been caressing her cheek and patronizing her as some sort of sick amusement for the past five minutes but because of what she was about to do. In her mind she knew that it was the right thing to do but that didn't stop the prospects of the simple action to terrify her senseless. Her teeth chattered at the cold and a breath of relief escaped her as soon as Louis had gotten bored of his callous forms of fun and returned to his never ending games of Solitaire. He had ordered Masuo to exchange the bandana, the one she had on was becoming displeasing to look at and it had begun to smell according to him.

This was the golden opportunity she had been waiting for almost five days. She had been patient, taking Louis's horrid remarks and treatment and even Jung's snide comments on Amon. Robin had dealt with it all and it had solidified her choice.

'_I'll be strong, I won't scream,' _she promised herself as the sound of Masuo's shuffling feet through glass reached her ears. She felt the coolness of the handcuffs more prominently than before and gulped; it was time. In the pit of her stomach she sensed an inkling of regret for what she was about to do to Masuo, he had been kind to her.

"Okay child don't try anything, I'm going to change this very fast, okay?" his cane fell to the ground with a clatter that echoed about as he grunted to kneel in front of her.

It was off: faint light made her eyes hurt in a second but it wasn't going to stop her, that nanosecond was precious. Robin released her craft with exuberance so that the poor man was sent flying from her. Without bothering to hesitate or wonder how much she would suffer later because of it Robin melted the handcuffs off her wrists. The metal turned brilliant orange in seconds and melted right off.

Adrenaline was what kept the burns from getting to her or stop her action in full progress. It had taken her seconds to do all this so when she raised herself from the chair Masuo and Louis were still blinking and wondering what had just happened. Robin turned to Louis far off in a small folding table with cards spread around looking at her and let all the frustration, anger and vulnerability show in her craft against him. The craft exploded from her and slashed deadly through the air as it made its way to him.

In all her long fifteen years of living with her powers Robin had never actually liked the pain it caused people but she let herself enjoy it as Louis was slammed back against the tin walls of the horrid place. Satisfied, Robin turned to the exit and burned open the door which exploded with a bang and opened to a world where the sun shone and wildlife beckoned.

She could see for the first time in what seemed ages; a blue sky extending beyond. Trees with falling leaves and drying grass sprinkled with the occasional night frost began after the gravel gave away to rich soil. All this she took in and headed towards it like a starving man for a stale piece of bread. It was hope, it was a promise, it was her Holy Grail. The sky…sprinkled with twinkling stars…that shined in the sun…stars?

They danced in every shape and form about her, around her. Robin overlooked this and made a run to the exit but the stars followed like small comets that pricked at her skin, pricked because they were weren't beautiful bringers of light, they were pieces of glass. As she realized this Robin noticed that the exit never seemed to come towards her no matter how fast she ran towards it, or that no matter how entranced in her escape she still wasn't able to hear the inevitable screams of pain that were suppose to be coming from the human torch Louis had become.

Robin knew it was lost even before she managed to trip on her dress and slam down on the floor. Her breath ragged at her lungs and sweat dripped from every pore. Her body felt like it had been beat on by a metal bat in every spot possible; she was actually surprised her head wasn't spinning like it always did nowadays.

"Finally an escape attempt, and here I thought you were going to be all boring today again."

Even if her head wasn't dizzy, it felt heavy to lift. Her eyes swam with tears as she saw them both, Louis and Masuo staring back at her looking calm and collected without a scratch about them. She saw the door she had blasted a minute ago intact and fully closed blocking that wonderful sight she had just seen. If Robin paid more attention to her position on the ground she would have noticed that her prisoner chair was right behind her: she hadn't moved toward _anything_ or away from_ anything._ What she did notice was the pinpoints of blood that were ensuing like polka dots from tiny shards of glass perforated all over her palms. Another thing that had been real was her stupidity for melting metal against naked skin. Angry red blisters were appearing all around her wrists. All of this made Robin think of that idea people had of getting cut somehow but not experiencing the true pain until you could see the blood or damage that had been done with your own eyes. They were right, the people.

"Well done, you have managed to entertain me for, ah, two minutes," Louis said giving her a glowing smile while making a big show of checking his watch.

"W-what? But How? I saw—," she sputtered from the floor.

"What you saw was an illusion courtesy of Masuo here."

Robin forced her ten-pound head to turn to the man on the cane. He refused to meet her eyes as he shuffled from one foot to the other. His navy blue sweater had a burn around the left shoulder and under it, the shoulder itself was beginning too look like her wrists.

From the floor, mustering to keep fresh tears from coming and some of her dignity in place, Robin found it deep in her to feel glad. Glad she caused as much pain as she could even in her state of self.

That didn't help the fact that she had realized the bandana wasn't to keep her from escaping, it was to keep little pesky problems like this one from happening. They had other ways to keep her in check.

Fighting was no good; crying was no good, then what was? What was she supposed to do?

Her heart still pounded and blood rushed through her veins but she was going to die. The way Masuo looked at his shoulder handling it carefully while refusing to look at her and Louis coming over with his a lopsided grin and a new bandana at hand made it clear she would die sooner or later.

With her eyes covered again, she was led onto the chair. Masking tape sounded and Louis roughly taped her arms to the armrests on the chair. He didn't tape her wrists but he enjoyed gripping them in what he was pretending to be 'concern'.

_'I'm going to die and I didn't even get so say goodbye…I never told him…'_

Life ripped from her hands, useless and weakened, Robin dropped her head and sobbed.

"Oh, boohoo, what's with the water works?" Louis laughed while Robin tried to stifle the noise coming from her mouth. "You are so naïve it just makes my day."

He sighed melancholically patting her wrists knowing it would add to her tears and as further punishment he forbid Masuo from treating them, "She did this to herself after all. Maybe she likes it, like a cutter likes—cutting, she likes to feel the burn, how sadistic…and kinky."

Masuo and Robin gritted their teeth at the sound of Louis inhuman burst of laughter, but unlike Robin Masuo had the opportunity to get out.

"I'll go get something to eat, and a new shirt," he added looking at his ruined sweater. He was half way down to the door holding his breath, waiting for it…waiting for it…

"You go do that but I think it's time for you to step up."

Slowly, all too reluctantly Masuo turned to the man who was at least ten years his junior and from whom he followed orders, "What do you mean?"

Louis shrugged and gave him a warm smile he probably gave his students everyday, "I'm aware today is Jung's day but I ordered her not to go 'all the way'. You, on the other hand, I want a hunter down, and I want it today."

Masuo's eyes narrowed and his grip on the cane tightened, "Does Jung know I'm doing it today too? Maybe I should wait for my time like we planned before."

"No, I don't care about Jung's petty wishes. I want a hunter down, I'm bored…I want this game to get a move on."

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"Doyle Hotta, thirty-seven years old, born in Tokyo," Michael said reading from a fax send from the Factory. "He was a custodian in a school for rich kids for the past seven months, worked as a plumber before that. Other than that, there is no clue as to why he was there last night."

The night was approaching and they were still in the conference room waiting for a break through of whatever kind. So far, it was getting them nowhere. A car had been left on the scene but it had lacked license plates or any registering sticker, no one had reported it stolen and according to car retailers in the city, no one had bought one of its kind that they could remember. They had hit a brick wall without any hope or solution.

"They will contact us," Michael said finally after no one had spoken up. "It's obvious we won't get much out of it and they know this so they will tell us what to do next, it is a game for them after all."

Doujima shook her head wordlessly while Sakaki moved his crutch out of the way to yell at Michael better, "A game? It's _not_ a game, Karasuma is dying and Robin is missing! We can't just sit here and twiddle our thumbs wondering when the phone will ring!"

"We can't, but we will."

With those words the team split for home. None of them knew what to do. Sleep? Eat? Watch television? It wasn't like their exhausted bodies and droning minds would allow any of that but they could at least wonder. Once in the basement garage Amon turned to his car without a word of comfort to either Sakaki or Doujima but they were used to it.

"Don't hurt the leather," Doujima stated as a ritual as Sakaki got in the backseat of her sports car.

"Yeah, yeah, I can't wait until I can ride my bike again," he grumbled stretching his leg on the entire seat.

"You could at least be a tiny bit grateful that I waste my precious time being your chauffeur," she gave him a dirty look in the rearview mirror but his only response was on oversized grin.

"Doujima, you could go visit her you know."

Her smile froze in place but she refused to answer.

"She's in Intensive Care but since she's under STN protection you could go visit her whenever you want, visiting hours don't matter."

"I know that."

"So will you go?"

"No."

Doujima chewed at the inside of her mouth, fully aware he was frowning reproachfully at her but she didn't care. She didn't care, not at all. Not even a little bit… He didn't understand.

How could he? He wasn't hurt like she was, he was on crutches taking painkillers but he didn't understand, he just couldn't.

"I don't want to see her," was her final and only response.

He thankfully quit talking about it—he quit talking at all. She didn't care…not even a little bit.

Sakaki hadn't seen it, not before it hit. He hadn't been pushed to the ground by Karasuma at the last minute…he hadn't seen the wave hit the woman with its force to the tree. If he had he wouldn't want to see her dying on the bed, seeing her lay there and feel guilt gnaw up inside him, he just didn't know.

Karasuma had protected Doujima instead of herself and now she was dying, easy as that. Except how could you say it out loud for them to understand? Doujima didn't know, didn't want to figure it out.

"Goodnight," he said stiffly once outside his apartment building and turning to leave without waiting for a response. She shook her head and drove off, maybe she would stare at the TV for a few hours, she had always enjoyed midnight infomercials. Tomorrow in the morning she could simply say she had gone to visit, Sakaki could never tell when she was lying. It would make him feel better…

Without realizing it Doujima had driven all the way to the hospital. The tall taupe building beckoned somberly, its big Red Cross suggesting people suffering in its insides. She shook her head, no, she couldn't, she wouldn't. Maybe tomorrow she would be able to face that sight again but not today. She turned her signal to go right, behind her a car did the same.

Her inside hunter signals pointed to the suggestion that she might be followed but she drove the idea away in a flash. She was only eighteen, she couldn't be so paranoid at her age. Leave that to junkies and UFO fanatics…

The car went to the left lane, right lane, turned corners—all along with her.

_'I'm being followed,' _Doujima concluded after three more miles. She wasn't scared just weary, so much for midnight good bad TV. Gingerly reaching for her purse while keeping an eye on the stalker, Doujima tried to find her cell phone. Where was it? Did she even have it?

Panic made its way to the pit of her stomach and gurgled, it wasn't there.

As if it perceived finally being noticed the driver in the car sped towards her until he was tail gating. Doujima pressed the gas and managed to keep safe distant but the person wouldn't relent. Furiously she looked around discovering there was no one behind of before them. They were simply speeding down the suburbs that were bizarrely vacant of any traffic whatsoever.

Doujima almost lost control of the steering wheel as the car hit her hard from behind.

"Shit, shit."

She burned tire taking a turn, the stalker followed…then just disappeared. Doujima blinked—gone?

A second later she tore her eyes from the mirror and looked at the big brick wall literally right before her.

Instead of her going towards it, the wall seemed to be coming to her at great speed. Her eyes widened and she thought of Sakaki's rolling eyes and his criticism of her.

She did care, she cared a lot.

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"There isn't any hot water on our floor."

Amon turned to an old woman in a terry cloth robe wearing carpet slippers after emerging from the elevator. He was looking through his mail but hid it hastily at the sight of the woman, there were envelopes with the STN-J insignia.

"I'll keep that in mind," he grunted trying to slip around her.

"You are looking a bit yellow," she continued taking on the look of a caring old grandmother. "I don't know what you do but I bet you don't eat. You can get the flu if you don't take care of yourself."

He stood still staring at her, willing for her to simply go away but she didn't and started to make comments on his wardrobe, "All that black…you'd think you're going to a funeral daily…are you a drug lord or something those people do to get easy money?"

Thinking it was enough Amon wordlessly passed by her and went to his own apartment two doors from hers. The woman had Alzheimer's, she would ask him the same thing in the mornings and evenings when she caught sight of him. Usually he could stand there and go through the replayed conversation but today he didn't have it in him.

He entered his small apartment and turned on the light. The dim light created shadows making the place look somber and wretched even if it was actually in very good conditions.. The living room was entirely empty with the exception of a large oval shaped mirror of to the wall. A doorway to the side contained the kitchen which was impeccably clean and had no signs of food, utensils or plates. He would always eat out or simply not eat at all it usually depended on what his job was at the time. His keys were dropped with a clatter on the kitchen counter and he retreated to his bedroom. Hopefully he would be able to sleep a couple of hours just enough to help him think clearly in the morning.

Once in his room he turned on the bedside lamp, the clock read ten twenty. The hair at the back of his neck stood up slowly and he reached slowly for his gun.

"Amon"

Two pairs of green eyes bore into him as he swiveled to meet them. There she was looking just as pale and serene as she had behind the fire five days ago. Her hands were to her sides and her hair was loose like back then. She smiled softly at him and he retracted his hand from his gun a fraction of an inch.

"What are you doing here?"

Robin shrugged gently like a child being asked where her parents were. She held out her palms slowly as if to show she came in peace, she would do nothing because she had nothing.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," she finally spoke indicating at his chest.

"Why did you?"

She looked away at loss for words, was it guilt, sadness? What was in her eyes?

"I'm sorry"

He fought for self-possession, she was here safe and sound. The worry and confusion could stop now. Robin approached him slowly almost cautiously without saying anything else. He could feel a vein throbbing in his neck. Something was wrong, there were too many questions unanswered for it to be 'fine'.

"Where were you all this time?"

Instead of responding she reached for his hand in his coat lingering by the gun. He let her take it in hers but his back had stiffened and he studied her face carefully for the first time. It was Robin, there was nothing that said otherwise but the truth—

"I was in a place, waiting for you," she smiled sheepishly as if wanting to make up for the lack of elaboration. She approached and pulled at his coat. Even with her standing before him as a distraction Amon could feel her slip something in his breast pocket. The truth was—

"I'm sorry about hurting you, but I had to."

She was too close and he couldn't back off, his bedside table was right behind him.

"Are you going to tell me anytime now why?" he asked harshly brushing off her grasping hands. Her green eyes were playful and he knew even if it was impossible—

Without bothering to dignify herself with a respond she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him.

That night five days ago Amon had known it deep in his mind it hadn't been Robin. His mind had tried to process the fact and make it plausible over and over but he had known it all along. Just like now this person—this girl was not Robin, not the Robin he knew…but the trick was just too deceiving, it looked so real…and he had waited for so long…

He kissed her back.

* * *

**Weh mir, oh weh…die Liebe...**

**Men, huh? I'll be back. **


	7. Shadows that Bleed

**GROUNDED, that's right, the wonderful, angelic BlackWingy, got herself grounded so she couldn't use the internet in forever. I'm able now though.** **I'm sorry but I won't get to update as much as before. I think the only time available to write will be on weekends. I have to make up for all those times I slacked off last semester. Gone are the days I could 'accidentally' be late in the mornings to school and get locked out of class to get send to morning detention just to catch a few Zs…oh well. I don't even know why they were so pisst, it's not like I would do it _every_ day, whatever.**

**Anyhow, here is another chapter with more stuff and endless sex scenes…yeah…right…ha ha. ****Ooh, you naughty people, you! Why do things seem more interesting when zug-zug is involved? **

* * *

When the gunshot was sound in the late hours of the night no one in the apartment building thought much of it. To them it was another petty mugger, their only appealing emotions to the event was relief it hadn't happened on their own floor. Law-abiding citizen wasn't part of their vocabulary, why care if it happened once every few days?

Yosaku of the fifth floor saw the injured party stumble out of the emergency stairs but he didn't react. He was used to it and stoned so when questioned later it was rather pointless. No he hadn't gotten a good look; no he hadn't offered to help. All he knew was that the person was wearing something black and limped like that mean lady from the third floor that had five cats in her fire escape. The cops had given up the investigation after that, not because Yosaku had begun to snore in the spot but because no one cared much for the lady with the cats.

-------------------------------

The waiting area was empty with the exception of two figures clad in black. They said nothing and ignored each other's presence while drowning in their own thoughts. Whenever a doctor or nurse would pass by they would jump up a fraction of an inch, like musical chairs.

"I'm tired of waiting," Sakaki finally blurted after half an hour had passed by. He turned to look at Amon who seemed to not have heard a single word. To Sakaki, the ominous hunter looked strangely withdrawn with wide blank eyes that seemed to stare into space. The past events were obviously taking their toll.

"There is nothing we can do but wait," Amon reminded suddenly waking from his stupor.

"That's all we _have_ been doing for the past weeks! Karasuma is dying and now Doujima too!" Sakaki snapped loudly earning himself dirty looks from passing nurses. "Wait and wait, can't we really do something?"

"_No_"

Amon's tone of frosty resolve made Sakaki blink, there was nothing, nothing at all?

They resumed their waiting in silence once more but not before Sakaki gave the man a look of disdain and turned to stare at the tiled floor.

Amon sighed and shook his head, he didn't have time to patch up Sakaki's bruised up feelings. There were more imperative things in mind like… His hand went unconsciously to his lips and he groaned silently. Why had he done it? It still burned deep in his mind, that one moment.

It seemed their kiss had lasted a life time…it had been all that he had ever imagined but if that was the case then why had he reached for his gun?

In the deep part of his brain that wasn't wrapped around the kiss he was pouring his whole self into, there was a spark of reason. It was the hunter reasoning in him that screamed in protest. Karasuma had been right; you couldn't be emotional and reasonable, not at the same time. A choice had to be made, and Amon picked in a seconds' time, not giving himself the chance to pay attention to the other bigger part of his brain that claimed ecstatically he was kissing, embracing Robin for the first time. The choice took everything out of him.

Amon could still remember her bright eyes widen in disbelieve as he had pulled the trigger while holding her close. He wondered if the hurt in them would haunt him forever. Amon looked down at his right hand and saw green Orbo etched on his skin. It had gotten on him for shooting the target too close…it refused to wash off.

He had done it, he had shot Robin and it had been incredibly easy, no hesitation, no remorse. The undemanding way he pulled the trigger troubled him. Did he not care for her? No—he did, that had not been Robin. Or at least that was what he tried to convince himself to make it all right. It hadn't been Robin, he had known this, so he had tried to kill her without a second thought...not to mention kiss her.

He felt like laughing, a first one for him. He had kissed and shot her all within a minute's time. Two very different things, one of which he would've never dared to do to her in his entire life. The world was tilting and he along with it.

After she had been wounded, her reaction had been of pure fury, throwing her craft at him. His new duster had caught on fire and by the time he had managed to put it out she was gone. There were tiny droplets of blood and Orbo in the hallway leading to the emergency stairs but he hadn't tried to follow.

Why bother? His head had been a mess, if he had caught up the only conceivable thing in his mind to do would've been to apologize.

There was repugnance at himself as well; how could he simply give in to something as simple as a kiss? It had been on the spur of the moment. The first thing he should've done was shoot the imposter, not let her get so close and confuse him in that way…

"She'll live"

Amon looked up in a jolt, would she?

The elderly doctor with the bags under his eyes was back. He looked more tired if possible but he still managed to remain alert and somewhat somber.

"The hit forced the wall to crumble and the air bag acted instantaneously so the impact wasn't as bad as it could've been," he sighed and flipped through a chart, "She will have to wear a neck brace for a few days and she broke her left arm in three places. She will also have to remain here a few more days to check the minor trauma to her head doesn't cause complications. Other than that, she's fine. You can see her now."

Sakaki bounded from his chair in a second and hurried as fast as a man with crutches could move. Amon followed, burned duster in hand.

Doujima was propped up in bleach-white pillows that matched perfectly with her already bleach-white face. She gave them a weak smile as they milled in slowly but the simple act seemed to cause fresh pain. Her chapped lips had begun to bleed to some extent because of it.

"Hey, how are you?" Sakaki dragged a chair besides her and plopped down without taking his eyes of her.

"Crappy, everything hurts," she said hoarsely turning two slightly unfocused blue eyes on them.

"Can you remember what happened?" Amon asked coming to Sakaki's side throwing his soiled duster to the couch by the window, "You haven't told how the crash happened to anyone yet, have you?"

"Can't we discuss this later, she's tired Amon!" Sakaki disputed looking outraged.

Doujima chuckled weakly, "Amon is not the waiting type Sakaki."

Sakaki burned holes to the side of Amon's face as if urging the hunter to disagree with her but Amon wouldn't relent, "Why did you crash, was someone chasing you?"

She stared at both of them with a blank look on her face, making them fear she couldn't remember.

"Someone…then nothing," she finally answered looking puzzled at her own answer. "I-I went to— I was coming here."

"To visit Karasuma," Sakaki piped in helpfully.

"Yes, but I changed my mind…someone was tailing me from there."

"What did the car look like, did you get to see a face?" Amon extracted his cell phone and seconds later Michael was with them in the room in speaker phone.

"Hey Doujima, did you get a glimpse of 'the light'?" Michael's voice crackled slightly either because of poor connection or his usual keyboard typing, "Or did your life flash before your eyes? Maybe you saw where you left those headphones I lent you and you lost…"

"I didn't notice the type of car or anything important," she fidgeted on her pillows until she was comfortable and resumed her reminiscing, "There wasn't anyone around, like cars or traffic. We were going really fast…and then he was gone and I saw the wall…"

"Gone? Did he turn on another street? What street were you on by the way?" Michael asked obviously before his computer as they spoke.

Doujima frowned giving this a thought, "No…it was like he was there one moment and then he wasn't. Like…poof."

"Did her head get rattled or did I hear incorrectly?"

"She got rattled," Sakaki answered loudly giving Doujima a worried look and taking her hand into his, "What do you mean by he was there then he wasn't?"

"_That_," she replied with annoyance sounding more like her original self, "he was there, and then he _wasn't_. He disappeared!"

"Hence 'poof'," Michael added dryly.

Amon's nostril's flared and his face tightened, "It was a witch, one of the Seekers."

"That's possible but wouldn't of they had send another calling card like last time?" Michael inquired through the line. "If it is a game like you said Amon they must've sent one."

A bucket of ice-cold water fell through Amon's insides, not because he remembered Robin's hands on him for the millionth time that night but because of _where_ they had been. He reached for his burnt duster and searched it frantically.

"What is it? I hear noise," Michael drawled.

Amon extracted a calling card slightly burnt up from the bottom edge. The Seeker's insignia was printed to the side.

"Where did you get that?" Doujima tried to sit up but ended up wincing and sitting back breathing labouredly eyeing him accusingly. "A Seeker gave you a calling card or did you just happen to find it in the street?"

"Amon has a calling card? What—no, wait, what's going on?"

"Answer her question Amon," Sakaki turned his entire body on the chair to face him.

The room filled with tension and stillness in which Amon's head grinded searching for an explanation as his colleagues stared at him waiting...

"I'll read it," he said finally making Doujima gape at him, Sakaki scowl in confusion and render Michael speechless.

Amon licked his lips and avoided their eyes:

'_Ding, dong, the witch is dead, you shot him, congratulations. The final stage approaches, are you ready Amon?—_

A pregnant pause followed, 'Amon', it said 'Amon'…

'_One by one your aid has fallen. Come now all alone, she's waiting blind and soon dead. Will her spilled blood make you feel more of a man?'_

_-----------------------------------------_

"I thought you said he would never hurt the girl," Louis commented snidely while passing gauze to Masuo.

"Don't you patronize me, you piece of shit!" Jung hissed gritting her teeth as Masuo prodded her wound. "How was I supposed to know that the idiot would turn on me like that? One minute he was kissing me and then—then…"

"Bang?" Louis smirked, he was enjoying this a little bit too much.

"How come you aren't passing out, there is Orbo in your blood stream," Masuo commented eyeing the dry Orbo in her white blouse with distaste. "I guess there would have to be more than one bullet to knock you out, I wonder how much is in a single bullet, maybe—."

"Shut the fuck up!" Jung's blue eyes were crazed with pain and swelling with tears, "Just get it out already."

Masuo closed his mouth and worked obediently for twenty Jung-swearing minutes until the bullet was out. He managed to stop the bleeding and dress the wound. The bullet had been pretty shallow considering how closely it had been shot. It had hit her on the side almost grazing the bottom of her rib cage. He was surprised she hadn't gone into shock yet, maybe it was the witch blood in her that made her more resistant than usual, it was a possibility.

"I guess he didn't like making out with you, are you a bad kisser?" Louis came to sit by her in a rickety metal chair, "So bad you deserved to get shot?"

Jung's eyes flashed furiously and she was about to give another angry retort but Louis wasn't having any of it anymore. He reached to her side and gripped her waist pushing his thumb deep into her bandaged wound while covering her screaming mouth with his other hand.

"Did you deliver? You didn't let me down, right?"

Jung shook her head, her eyes as wide as saucers staring in horror and pain at him.

"Good… no one followed you here, right? It would be a pity for our relocation to be in vain."

Another frantic shake of head seemed to please him, Louis let her go and stepped back gazing at his thumb, it was sanguineous, "She's going to bleed to death, poor thing."

Masuo waited until Louis had walked out of their new conference room into the dark corridor to change Jung's bandages again. She was crying silently and didn't complain anymore; she was defeated.

--------------------------------------

A faint whistle made Robin's pulse quicken. She squirmed in her chair still not used to the hardsteel feel to it yet.

Yesterday Louis had announced they were moving, or as far as 'yesterday' she could tell. The time had arrived for the 'final stage' as he called it. He had tranquilized her on the neck again and when she had woken Robin could feel a difference in it all. It wasn't cold for one and there wasn't any noise whatsoever. No calling birds, no swaying grass or tree leaves, no wind—nothing. It felt enclosed, utterly still, and even though her eyes were covered, Robin somehow sensed darkness. No light, just encompassing, thick darkness.

The whistling grew louder and a door to her left burst open sending a small breeze to her face.

"How are you doing Robin?" Louis's voice echoed in a small space. "I have news for you, guess what?"

Robin's lips remained stubbornly closed even though she had an overwhelming urge to bite her lower lip. He sounded happy, that was never a good sign, was it?

"Your boss will be here soon enough, your other little friends won't be able to make it but maybe next time…"

"Amon," she gasped unable to hold it back.

"Yes, _that_ man," Louis's voice went easily. His shoes tapped hard on a ground that wasn't soil like in the warehouse, maybe tiles, or concrete. He began to walk closer, closer…

"Listen Robin, this little event is almost over. You will be fine and alive—if and only 'if' you do as I say.

"I like you Robin, I really do," his voice was soft and had a hissing sound to it, like a talking snake. "You may not believe me but it's true."

Robin almost yelled as his ice-cold hand gripped her burned one gently. His other one had found its way to her face and caressed her smoothly. She shivered at the coldness and repugnance of it all. He would go away soon, it would be okay, he would leave, and then she would be warm again.

"You are a powerful witch Robin—."

"I'm not a witch, I'm not like you," Robin rejoined twisting her face away from his touch. It was disgusting, it would make her retch, he had to go away—he had to or else she would scream and find out she would never be able to stop.

"That's not true," he continued, "You and I…we are very alike. Solitary blues…"

Robin's throat tightened as his seething breath came in contact with her face, he was too close.

"But you can join me."

The simple five words struck her like a mallet against a gong. Even her ears were ringing at it. Join him? _Her_?

"It's not like they want you, you know," he had sat down to her side and placed his head on her lap. She could feel the weight of it but kept herself from shivering or kicking out, she couldn't show weakness, not now. "Your friends are all injured and they are blaming you…even that man: Amon. He isn't coming here to save you Robin; he is coming here to kill you. He thinks you are one of us."

"That's not true," she snapped pulling her hands towards his head wanting to pull, or injure. New handcuffs didn't allow this, only made her graze her burned wrists mercilessly. "You are lying, they would never think that!"

Louis's finger traced the outlines of her face laughing under his breath, "Yeah, he would never think that, he likes you after all, or making out with you at least."

_'Making out'?_

Robin had heard the term before, mostly from Doujima. But if he meant what Doujima had meant back then…

Robin's mind went to overdrive and even in the dank hole they had her in, blinded and bounded, Robin had the decency to blush. He was definitely lying, Amon and her had never…

"Jung really enjoyed it."

She let the comment settle on her like a towel soaking water gradually. That made more sense of course. Robin's blush altered in a nanosecond with pale rage. Jung enjoyed 'making out'?

_'I would love to be you for a day, you have such wonderful skin…say, would you mind if I went to him as you? Maybe we could have a little fun, him and me…'_

Yes, that definitely made more sense. Robin remembered the Asian woman with the light blue eyes. How she had shape-shifted before her, taking Amon's memory away leaving only confusion and disappointment.

Robin had been taught not to hate all her life, only forgive. Every day she would pray and try to be a better person. How could she accomplish this now? Would that so-called God allow her to remain serene and lenient like himself? Could she have the strength to not blow Jung into smithereens?

"She kissed Amon?"

If this was not hate blistering her insides then what was? Robin had never felt it before, it was smothering and ugly, she didn't like it but couldn't help but feel it consume her. There was anger, but what else?

"No need to be so jealous little girl," Louis cooed beginning to twist locks or hair in his fingers. "If it makes you feel any better he pushed her away—after he shot her of course…well, not her: you."

The door he had come in from had remained open. It let the ticking of a clock somewhere drift to the room. It was slow and sharp, the sound of every second. Like a knife chopping on a cutting board, one after the other.

Tick…_Jung kissed Amon…_tick…

_She was me_…tick…_Amon shot her_…

Tick…_Amon shot_…tick..._me_…

Tick…tick…tick…

* * *

**Okay good bye and I apologize for not being able to update in a while and stuff. This chapter was kinda short but I promise to make it up next time. Now press that little purple button to the left and tell me what's on your minds. **


	8. Beginnings and Ends

**I lost my disk in which I kept my all my WHR past chapters—but then I got it back. It's not like it would've affected this chapter though cuz I hadn't started to write it yet. Anyhow, I understand if you guys hate me for updating so late. I hate myself too. Well, this chapter is kinda weird cuz I wrote it while in a cold and heavily medicated. I beg for you guys to be patient and read along. **

**This is it, the chapter second to the last. It has more inside stuff I hadn't added yet so soak and bathe in it people cuz it took me forever to write. Okay, peachiness. **

* * *

"Influenza—do you have that? I do not like your coloring lately, you young people and your STDs."

A muscle in Amon's jaw twitched but the diseased lady in the terrycloth robe didn't seem to notice.

"And all that black…I have a nephew just like you. Wears metals all over and shows them off!" she shook her head so that her small curly, silver hair bounced like springs, "He asked me for money to get a 'Prince Edward', do you know what that is? Maybe a nice conservative hair cut like those princes, huh? If that is the case I'll give him his birthday money early…your hair is starting to look a bit sloppy dear, do you want to go get a 'Prince Edward' with my nephew, I'm sure he won't mind."

"…….."

"Well, honey, it was nice talking to you. If you ever need anything don't be afraid to call me," with that she turned and slammed the door in his face. Amon blinked blankly at the pewter F9 on the door. It would've been a disturbing conversation if he hadn't heard it at least three times every week.

Once in his own apartment he strode from room to room turning every single light on. There had once been a time when he had found pure sanctuary in the darkness. It soothed his mind and drove his inner demons away. He had time to think calmly on everything, sorting through the maze his emotions created. Darkness didn't suit him today even if it made him feel safe, not this time. In the darkness, reflected on the oval mirror he could see Robin's body. In the shadowy corners, he sensed her glowing eyes. Everywhere, she was just everywhere. At least in light he could see the true thing reflected in the mirror: a somber, tall man with great bags under his eyes and a haunted look about them.

Closing his eyes for a moment he watched all the horror of the past days replay in his eyelids. Nothing made sense…how did all end up like this? Both Sakaki and Doujima were injured, Karasuma, even if the brain swelling had gone down, might remain bedridden…and he didn't know what to do.

He knew, he _always _knew but everything had just…

A door slammed out in the corridor and kids shouted in the floor above, pounding their little feet on his ceiling—his head. The world was full of sound that pierced the insides of his skull and the numerous bright lights were torturing him slowly but he refused to turn them off.

Amon entered his small bathroom and headed for the shower. The blast came out colder than melted snow so he left it on and walked away. The STN-J had offered to pay for a comfortable apartment in town but he had rebuffed. What he wanted was to be closer to Raven's Flat as possible, work was what he did. He didn't need comforts or working showers or good neighbors, he didn't need _anything_…or at least that was what he had thought.

Upon returning to the bathroom, the shower had refrained from spitting icy water to blistering hot already. The water seemed to mar and sting all over bit it washed everything off, everything way. Robin…STN-J…his entire life flowed down the drain. It numbed the throbbing in his head and stopped the flowing thoughts crowding his head. Nothing, there was nothing left either way…nothing at all.

Even through the thick vapor of the water Amon could see the smear of Orbo on his hand. It looked greener than ever against his pasty, white skin. Holding it before him Amon's new tranquility disappeared to be replaced by pointless rage. Right there, it wouldn't disappear, it was there, the simple stain that refused to wash away, the sin he wouldn't fail to repent for his entire life. Hastily he reached for a bar of soap and scrubbed until the skin felt raw. Minutes passed, the water fell, and the world clouded over but the sin shined true like a beacon in the pitch darkness of a vast ocean. The shower wasn't exactly roomy but even in the size of it the flying bar of soap stuck a tile with enough force to shatter it into half. He turned off the water and leaned his forehead into the opposite wall feeling the vapor slowly disperse and a chill settle all over his skin.

Life had been better before she had fallen into their lives. Everything had never been this baffling or agonizing. Work, protocol, work—that had been his entire world but…even if it _was _hurtful and perplexing he felt awake. Meeting her, spending time with her had been like waking from a deep sleep thousands of years old. He had opened his eyes wide but like real sleep, he had been keen on pressing the snooze button on her, closing his eyes and simply putting her on hold, pushing her away.

Could he do that now?

Exiting the bathroom with only a towel around his waist Amon headed for his closet casting a glance at his clock; two fifteen. Outside his window the city slept and only the occasional barking dog or ambulance could be heard. He buttoned down a clean black shirt and put on a pair of trousers.

No…he couldn't sleep, not anymore.

----------------------------------------

"It was like…god, it was so fucking awesome. The guy knows how to kiss let me tell you," Jung sighed in a dreamy sort of voice. "What a man…to think he would pick a scrawny little thing like you."

Robin's eyes were half-closed behind her bandana. With the exception of the insult and if you took out the fact that the man she was talking about was Amon, Robin could've sworn this was Doujima before her with another of her 'boy' monologues, not the aggravating Jung that had been pestering her for the past half hour with details of Amon's 'fucking awesome' kiss. It wasn't all that bad if she simply tuned her out like she had tuned out Doujima countless of times but the tiny leap of jealousy still inflamed her insides whenever Amon's name was mentioned.

"Hey, do you think I'm his type? Without a disguise I mean. After this is done and the STN falls he will be left at our mercy—mine actually. Louis already promised me I could keep him."

"He is not a simple dog you can call your own," Robin snapped astounding even herself. It had been the first time she had led her annoyance get voiced out loud. For the past days her shock and feelings of vulnerability had diminished to be replaced with irritation and contempt. She had felt it stronger after Louis had left her with his last words trailing along the air like toxic fumes. "You are not Amon's type if you were he might've kept kissing you."

Jung's high-pitched laugh echoed in the small area making Robin involuntarily cringe, "He didn't shoot _me_ you silly you. He shot his little partner in crime: you."

Robin's voice threaten to falter as she responded but she held her head high and forced as much conviction as she could muster, "_No_, he shot you not me. Amon knows me, the real me. The me you probably failed to be and made him realize you really weren't his type."

The infamous clock's tick Robin had learned to despise found its way into the room while Jung went dead silent. It was a pensive silence, a silence full of fresh uncertainty but as soon as it had come it had gone. Robin's lips betrayed her by letting a frantic gasp escape as nails, sharp as small knives dug into her nape.

"So that's it huh?" Jung asked monotonously while cutting Robin's oxygen, "You are the one who makes him 'tick', the one who drives him…is that so? You have a _very_ big head; maybe I should deflate it for you a bit."

Jung let her neck go and for a moment Robin felt infuriated and affronted enough to try and kick the woman but before she could do anything Jung pounced. The chair's legs screeched with the force as it was dragged and slammed against the wall behind.

All the while both hands with razor-sharp nails alike crushed Robin's esophagus making her obscure world spin about within seconds. An inhuman sound was forced out of her as her system choked and gagged for precious air. She would die right here in the hell hole they had created for her. Along with the devils and ghosts whispering at her from the shadows, now they beckoned knowing her fate, they accepted and claimed her for themselves. Born in darkness, forced to live in darkness, and now about to die in darkness, her rightful place was with them.

Her eyes watered and red and white spots flashed before her eyes. Her lungs and head were in a tumult burning hot, beginning to give up on her. She could feel them about to surrender, ready to present her to the calling darkness.

Death

She had thought about the idea mostly in her time of isolation during these past days. The idea seemed probable if the STN didn't rescue her, or at least that was what she kept telling herself. The STN…they would be her saviors and yet deep in her heart and mind the STN didn't involve four people but one. He was coming to get her she just knew it, she had to hold on.

_He shot you…he's coming to kill you…you are a witch who deserves to die…_

Who whispered? Was it her conscious even in its delirium or the devils and ghosts? They waited and watched.

Robin's eyes rolled and the world went black.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Sunlight broke about and the world shined. It was another day, normal, uneventful. Yet it was the arrival, the beginning. **

'_Am I dead?'_

**A green eyed girl came into view walking down the street; her long dress caressing the walk way beneath, anyone looking might've thought she was gliding smoothly. Her face was fixed in a calm yet utterly blank look as she pushed open the door to a restaurant. Cool air and soft piano music reached her forcing the tension and heat she had been feeling slip away slightly, the corners of her mouth turned up minutely, she just might like this place.**

'_I see you…do you see me? The past…so clear…'_

**The girl allowed the door to close behind her before continuing on. This was new, the whole experience, she was afraid but too proud to show it. People had trusted her to come all alone to this place, but it wasn't like she was here for them. No, she was here for herself. If she needed to survive she needed to be here experiencing and being afraid. But what if she couldn't succeed? What if she failed to be fit—survival of the fittest…she would perish. Her façade threatened to crack as she went on rounding the corner of a long darkened hallway. A shadow approached, her breath caught as a man came to view. His eyes bore into a space beyond her. He walked by with his head held high and yet she could see the strain on him. He seemed ordinary but she had spotted a look in his eyes quite familiar. **

**It seemed like he was trying to hold the entire world—no, universe on his shoulders, all alone, dependent of no one… just like her.**

'_From that day on…I saw no one else but you..._

**The man walked on not bothering to acknowledge the pale girl with a similar hold on her shoulders.**

**Or at least that was what she thought. **

**Once the door had opened and closed the girl turned. In all her life she had never seen anyone quite like him…Japan was an odd place.**

'_I saw myself in you…I was afraid that if you failed to hold on to that weight, so would I…_

**Like a rapid light switch being turned on or off, the scene swiftly changed and the girl stood in a grim office, keeping herself from inhaling cigar smoke in the air. The windows had blinds that were partly open letting in some light but not enough to keep the place from looking somber. **

**A man seated in a masterful chair across from the green eyed girl, openly stared, studying her.**

"**Is father Juliano still well?" **

"**The girl blinked determined to not breathe in the intoxicating smell, "I didn't know you knew about him!"**

"**I actually met him back in Solomon quite some time ago, it has been over a decade now," the man's voice rang bouncing of the walls into her ears. It was a tough and strong voice, full of command and shortness. The small talk they were having created a small smile in his lips but she noticed it didn't seem to reach his eyes.**

"**He's doing well, although his powers have diminished."**

"**I see. **

"**As you have noticed our ways of doing things around here are different from Solomon."**

"**You don't kill the witches," she stated softly trying to keep the shrewdness out of her voice. **

**The conversation continued in a haze that fluttered like swirling fog, useless…why was she seeing this?**

"…**Now while you are here I want you to abide by our rules, is that clear? For now I want you to stick with this man and get used to the system here…"**

"**Yes, sir…"**

**The green eyed girl, dismissed, walked away looking at the man beside the entrance. He was tall and beautiful, made out of porcelain. His silver eyes refused to meet hers but she could still see a gloom behind them, something dark and impenetrable.**

'_It hurt. You would never look at me, just right through me.'_

**She walked down a hallway trying to head back to the main office without getting lost. The walls in this side of the building were made out of rough, crude stones that didn't do much for the décor. It was like walking down a medieval dungeon and once she would see the light, the unexpected would come. **

**Abruptly the stone was replaced with smooth taupe walls and unadorned doors without name as she walked on. The doors came, high, and shut on and on but she paid no notice, her mind still back in the morbid office and its queer occupants. **

'**_For now I want you to stick with this man…'_ **

**Her heart pounded with apprehension, what did that mean? She would be with him from now on, getting to know this man with the stone eyes. **

'_Would you hate me? Would you judge me? I was so afraid you would reject me'_

**An open door with a light on caught her eye as she passed by. Her curiosity, getting the best of her, made her turn and push the door slowly. It was a plain record room illuminated by a weak hanging bulb with dozens of file cabinets and shelves on the sides, stacked with different size books. Crates of documents laid about the floor making it impossible to walk freely about. She took a delicate step in and instantly regretted it. A folder's edge caught on her skirt, flipping and sending dust everywhere. As fast as she dared without disturbing other files, the girl patted the dirt off her skirt and placed the file in its place. **

**To the side a vast book stood on its own by a crate. A thick layer of dust collected over the years enclosed the cover. She frowned; it looked so lonely there, ignored and soiled. Scooting down and opening showed her it was nothing but a normal unabridged dictionary with minute letters. She flipped through it, drawing in the musky smell emitting from the yellow pages. Her legs were cramping from crouching on the floor too long but a thought crossed her mind before standing up. **

**The thin pages flew by as she turned hastily to the 'P'.**

**Part-ner 1. One associated with another in an activity or a sphere of common**

**interest.**

**2. A member of a business partner-ship.**

**3. Spouse**

**The girl read it entranced, it made no sense because nothing soothed her worries. So they had something in common: killing witches. How would that make him accept her? By seeing her evil craft?**

'**_He's just like me,'_ she suddenly thought remembering the universe in his shoulders and eyes. Hushed steps came down the corridor but the squatted girl took no notice. **

'_Someone is coming, watch out! Can you hear me? Can you hear my voice?'_

**The door was closed midway but still allowed sight into the cubicle-like room. Two eyes, sharp and grey, looked down at the girl in the floor. It was an inscrutable look that didn't condemn, only observe. They narrowed as the girl shifted documents to get a better space for her great book and softened as her exhausted thighs gave up on her and dropped her on her behind. **

"**Ouch…"**

**The man behind the door shook his head trying to keep his frown in place even though it had become somewhat difficult.**

'_Were you there all along? Watching as I watched you? Amon…_

**A swift movement indicated his departure but the girl kept flipping the pages awed by the numerous words in existence, her odd handle bar hair style bobbing up and down.**

'_I see you but you don't see me._

'_Am I dead?'_

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

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"I'm telling you Amon, harassing the computer won't get you anything," Michael yelped as Amon hurled a mouse across the room. It crash landed by the Chief's empty desk bouncing with it's cord twirling in the air then just laying there like a useless rock.

"It didn't work," Amon replied sitting on his rolling chair breathing hard.

"What, your rude manhandling or the buttons?"

Without bothering to dignify that with a response Amon stood and begun to pace, it was three in the morning yet he felt wide awake. He had returned to the office to check more clues or anything that might help but so far there was absolutely nothing. Time went by and his patience along with it. Robin's life could be ending at the moment for all he knew.

"Calm down Amon, this is not the time for posturing," Michael watched rapt as the tall hunter paced the room like a caged panther.

"_Posturing_? I'm not _posturing_."

"Okay then go home, go to sleep Amon," Michael swerved his chair until he was but a yard away from the wild hunter, "_I_ live here, you don't."

Amon shot a contemptuous look at the boy but did as told. He got his trench coat from his chair along with his gun holster. Yes, maybe leaving was the best thing to do. A computer screen wouldn't magically pop out Robin out of its screen.

"You are not going to sleep," Michael sighed, stretching over his computer chair and yawning.

It wasn't a rhetorical question but Amon answered it over his shoulder as he walked away, "No, I'm not sleepy."

He passed by the elevator shaft determinately walking deep into a dimly lit corridor. He kept on going until the walls had lost their smoothness to be replaced with rough stone. His shoes echoed in the hall as the light seemed to diminish with every step he took. A silver door waited far out and when he reached it Amon could see the black bulk his reflection created in the blurry material. Carelessly he tossed his coat and holster to the floor but not before extracting a key and his Orbo gun.

The key was weightless in his hand, like shaped aluminum glistening with the neon light overhead. He knew this key was what truly set him apart from the other hunters. Zaizen had given it to him in secret shortly after Kate, his previous partner's, demise. At first he had been honored and steadfast on catching every single witch afterwards, fired up by the simple knowledge that he possessed 'the key'. But then she had arrived and second thoughts had resurrected, some of which he was unaware of but still resided in his subconscious.

He typed a code on a pad next to the doorway and inserted the key. There was a definite click followed by a beep and his bones chilled. A thin freezing vapor hissed out as the door was opened. Ominous green light surfaced and hit his eyes like the sun would after a long time in the darkness. Sometimes, rare times, guilt pricked at him. Though he was unsure as to why, it was his job after all and yet…

'_But sir…I won't be using Orbo, it's disgusting…'_

He had mistrusted her from the beginning. How could she find Orbo disgusting? She would kill a person with the blink of an eye with her hideous craft. In his eyes she was a child witch in a leash, something that had to be controlled.

When did that change? He couldn't exactly pinpoint it.

Reaching for his gun, he reloaded and packed enough ammo to kill a small third world country—a small third world country of witches. The glowing bullets were bright green, like her eyes.

Amon scowled at himself, how could he even compare such things?

----------------------------------

An extended hallway, pitch dark with the exception of a single door with a lit light. It was soundless until the lit room was approached. From its insides soft thuds and groans could be heard. Robin, who was in the room, was completely unaware of them. Her head was lopsided to her shoulder, her faintly blue face covered by a curtain of hair. She was breathing ruggedly, her burning lungs seizing as much oxygen as they could. Her ears were popping so she was unaware of the voices screaming around her.

"Louis! _Please!_"

Louis's face contorted in rage and he raised his fist once more.

"Stop it, you are not thinking clearly," Masuo begged rushing over to Louis's side dropping his cane in the floor to get hold of the raised arm, "You need her, Louis stop it."

"You're an idiot!" Louis shrieked, his voice raising several octaves beyond what was normal. Masuo cringed at the sound but didn't let go. "If I hadn't gotten here in time you would've ruined everything!"

"She's still breathing," Jung retorted defiantly from the ground. Even with a deep gash in her lower lip from were blood flowed freely and a purple nose that looked broken Jung still managed an insolent sneer. Her thick ink black hair contrasted with the red and white of her face, "Stop bitching about it! She's right there!"

"Stop Louis!"

Jung screamed and withered in the ground as a kick dug into her bullet injury. One of her flaying legs struck Robin's who simply jumped feebly in her chair and didn't lift her head.

"There, I'm done," pushing Masuo to the side Louis pulled at his suit and straitened his tie with an air of gentle calmness even if his eyes still bulged from suppressed fury, "Jung, you little rascal. Why don't you go crawl to some corner? I'm hating the sight of you right now."

Masuo gaped as the infuriated man kneeled down by Robin and moved her hair out of her face with a gentleness the old man would've never thought possible.

"My poor little girl," Louis sighed lifting Robin's head with a finger on her chin, "Look at you, Jung hurt you didn't she? Should I kill mean Jung, will that make my little girl feel better?"

Robin's head bobbed in his extended hand, still unconscious.

"Stop it Louis," Masuo repeated his nostrils flaring. For some reason Masuo didn't dare fathom, Louis's coddling scared and disgusted him more than his psychotic episodes. It was at times like these that Masuo yearned for his leg to be better just so that he could run away from this crazy man, run and never turn back.

"I really don't see why you are still standing there like a crippled old man—oops, I mean like an indolent imbecile," Louis replied letting Robin's head fall and standing up, "I thought I had told you to head over."

Masuo turned his gaze at Robin. She looked so fragile and small, was it all worth killing her? Just so that he could live to his ancestor's expectations? To his eyes she was but an innocent girl cursed as him, doomed to kill or be killed. Or at least that was what he had been told over and over by his father. They had lived in slums, him and his father, the worst places a kid could ever grow up in. He had feared life from the age of four, taught to fear every waking, living moment of it.

"I'm going," he mumbled taking his eyes off Robin and retrieving his cane from the floor. Louis held the door wide open for him and rolled his eyes as Masuo's limping slowed his pace. Once outside the doorframe, the door with its bright lit room slammed shut behind him. He dealt slowly through the dead silent hallway walking farther and farther from the poor girls, locked with the monster that had been the insight for all of his new nightmares.

He could walk away and never return. Louis wouldn't follow…maybe.

Fresh night air stroked his bald head once emerging into the outside. Freedom was his for the taking if it wasn't for a little glitch.

A harness, wrapped around his soul kept him where he was, refusing to let go. And now instead of attempting to gain a life he had tightened the harness's hold on him by entrapping the girl. If her blood was to stain hands tonight, it would be his. His past edged him to do what he was doing now maybe because that was all he knew, all he believed in, without his past he was nothing.

In his veins ran the blood of the original Seekers many years past. If there was such pure, initial blood rich with the power of the craft it would be his. His family had lived just like him and his father. Barely surviving in the shadow of the world, casting themselves away from mankind. It had been a sad life, never enjoying or truly 'living' just learning to hate and retreat from human nearness.

The day came when his father's departure left him in every aspect alone in the world. Living in the streets as a hobo or worse than it, he would stare at the normal humans. Untainted by the craft in their blood or mind, they were happy, he wanted to be happy too just like them. When the affluent-looking man came to him in the park with a refined Asian lady strapped in his arm Masuo saw a way out, to be happy just like them, the normal people. It wasn't long before they filled his head with promises of a better future for him and people just like him. All he had to do was use his craft and past to their (the man and woman's) advantage.

A plan was devised for destroying an organization known as the STN-J. It was complicated, for it to work they needed someone from the inside to weaken the organization's state. They had laughed back then, telling him how easy it would be with his craft made for deceiving. It would be fast, it would be painless.

He was lied to.

Not only was the captive a child, she was treated no more than a dog. His part in it all was as expected but by now he had realized they were using him as a 'Seeker' figure head, nothing else. There would be no better future for him or his kin. If he was right and Louis got his way more people would be treated just like those two girls, even worse.

This was not what he wanted, not a crying girl tied and tortured. Or people hurt and almost killed just so that Louis became entertained.

Masuo drove less than five blocks from their hiding location before the building Raven's Flat came to view. He parked by the exit where cars would come out of. He had been stalking the place as much as Jung had stalked the hunter Amon, its exits, entrances and numbers of windows were like a second nature to him.

He hadn't even taken the keys off the ignition before a figure was seen. It was tall and large as it rushed across the street. Masuo didn't know if to be glad or apprehensive that he had found the target already: the hunter.

He sat back on the street and watched. If he did this, it would be 'it', the last step. His ancestors would applaud and accept him with arms wide open in hell. If he refrained Louis would send him to hell anyway.

Masuo looked at the man crossing the street with his trench coat flapping behind him. The man, Amon, would go for her that he knew. They had tested the hunter's loyalty and he had surpassed according to Louis. All Masuo had to do now was close his eyes, and then everything would be out of his hands.

His craft flowed and hummed through his body as it extended from him reaching out for the man's mind.

If his father saw him now he would be so proud…if Masuo thought about it one more time he would scream.

This had never been what he wanted.

A life

Happiness…

Was it too much to ask for?

-----------------------------------

Amon crossed the street without bothering to look for incoming cars. Harry's was closed but it didn't stop him from heading over. It was a habit he had, whenever things got tough Harry's was the place to go even if only to a locked door. It helped him to sort things through or unwind.

"_Amon"_

His eyebrows knotted together as he turned his head, "Robin."

Her hair was impeccable as her dress and demeanor. It was a flashback into every single morning he would see her in the office waiting for him. She smiled brightly, a sight he had never seen, suspected no one ever had.

It made him miserable, why should he see her smile like that at such a time?

The handle bar haired girl lifted her hand beckoning for his. Her smile was warm, contagious. Amon's eyes lingered on her extended hand wondering if it was as soft as it promised to be.

He reached for it but she walked away before he had the opportunity to find out. She stopped a distance far of as if to show he needed to follow, turned and kept going.

Amon drew back his hand, the time had come. The final test which involved his mind being tampered with yet again...he could do this. He _had_ to do it.

He had to follow and he had to be patient. Robin was somewhere waiting just for him and once he got there he would take her hand and never let go.

* * *

**I _promised_ I would make it up didn't I? This chapter is the longest I have written in the history of—my written chapters. Whatever. I know this chapter was odd. For all who wonder Robin went through the whole 'life-flashing-before-eyes' experience while being treated like a toothpaste tube. It really wasn't relative to the story line but I thought it would be nice to add more to the 'Arrival' of WHR. Masuo was a nice guy after all so I had to add his stuff as well. Okay then the end is near and I beg for patience because it'll be hard to write and if I do it just right, it'll be hard for you guys to read...in a good way. **


	9. Bullet Proof

**Whoa, the longest time I have taken to update—the longest chapter yet! (I'm not lying, the last chapter was 8 pages, this is 15½, bwahaha) I know from experience that overly long chapters can seem to drag on forever and you loose concentration but I beg all of you to read it nonetheless.**

**The End, this is it people. I want to thank all of you that kept reviewing my pointless fic, it meant so so much. Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry There is some stuff in here in reference to the end of WHR, you know the whole 'truth' about Robin, but it is just a reference in passing, no big deal…unless I feel like doing a sequel or something of the sort later on. O**

**Okay then, enjoy, read this freakishly lengthy chapter and review no matter what. Was it good, bad? Should I pat myself in the back or go crawl under a rock?**

* * *

Amon looked ahead to the illusion that was Robin whose green eyes would flash occasionally as she turned to check to see if he was following. He didn't hurry or hesitate, his stride was calm, slow and deliberate but his heart pounded like a bass drum on the base of his throat. The Orbo gun and ammunition weighted on his sides making the whole experience somewhat unreal as if he was underwater and a heavy current held him back. The air was humid and the absence of the two or three stars in the light pollution-sky signaled storm clouds overhead. He wondered how long till dawn. For some reason he counted on the cloak of night to keep this mission going, as if the first rays of light touching the ground would be the climax of it all. The rising sun would be the end, he would run out of time and Robin would be lost to him forever. Or that was how he saw it.

The fake Robin turned back once more but then began to run. Amon halted for a second before following it. They were running in a vacant alley where trash bins occasionally got on his way. His eyes widened as the fake Robin passed easily through them like a ghost. She wasn't real, he knew this but…

His breath came out in icy puffs and incoming frosty drizzle settled on his brow. Puddles in which he splashed in occasionally had soaked his legs up to the knees and the cold air he was breathing in burned the insides of his nose.

Trivial

It was discomforts he had gone through in the past in the job. He would have to stake out in the cold following a witch, watching its home. This idea brought back a flash of memory in which Robin had been by his side, sneezing in the cold pretending to keep watch while dozing off standing up when she thought he wasn't looking. She had been there by his side all along, and he had taken it all for granted. In his mind Robin would remain his partner until…until he could gain the courage to accept her further into his life. She would always be with him no matter what if only for staking out witches. He hadn't asked for more thinking that her company was all that could be had. She was a child after all, a craft user. Now, running out of breath chasing what was surely a trap Amon realized he couldn't be satisfied by simple company from his green eyed partner.

She was to be with him, to be a 'Partner' in the very extent of the word. There would be no 'if' about it, not anymore, not even for him. Karasuma had been right; he should've told her sooner. He would tell her now though; it would be the first thing he would tell her once she was with him again.

_'Go in there'_

Without realizing it, the destination had come into sight. The illusion had led him away from the streets into the back entrance of a building he knew well. It was the abandoned Tokyo police station. Five years ago, with the overpopulation reaching high peaks, the authority had taken extreme measures and build an even larger station to fit in all of the law enforcement they could in order to control the masses. The less spacious building they had used earlier had been forgotten, left to be pillaged by the homeless and anarchic. Robin's sick imitation pointed to a wide opened metal door with a padlock broken in half hanging by. She pointed to the shadows inside, showing she wouldn't go any further.

Amon stopped in his tracks and stood his ground. It was an ambush; any fool could figure that one out. It had all been a game according to the Seekers, a game that leaded to him being completely isolated from help aside from himself. He was bound to get killed, at least that was logic told him. There would be no hope if they had illusions to confuse and toy with his mind. How to know what was real and what was not?

_'She's waiting,'_ the phantom suddenly uttered startling him. It wasn't the cryptic statement or the fact that it kept speaking that awed him, but the way it said it; as if it was anxious too, afraid of the outcome.

"Is she still alive?" he found himself asking.

An eternity passed and the night fell silent. Amon held his breath drilling his eyes into the girl trying to read something but her own eyes remained blank like a doll's. Cars passed at the end of the alley but no one stopped to notice the man about to trespass into a government building and who apparently was talking to himself.

"Is she still alive?"

Having to repeat himself wasn't something Amon did often and when he did he became rather curt but not now. His voice shook uncharacteristically and his tongue felt made out of sand but she—it refused to answer and just stared at him cocking its head as if hearing a distant sound.

_'I…don't know,' _it finally said. Amon stomach gurgled in sickening realization; it wasn't using Robin's voice any more. Out of its mouth came out a deep husky sound that had no definition between a woman or man. _'But…he needs her, ever since the beginning she was something precious he had to have. He kept telling me…he said she was 'perfection'. I didn't understand—I still don't.'_

_'Neither do I,'_ Amon riled scowling at the fake image that disappeared like a wisp of smoke in a breezy day leaving the mystifying entrance more conspicuous. After it was gone he realized that his mind had cleared even though he had never realized it had been clouded in the least.

Without giving an opportunity to second thoughts, Amon stepped over the threshold and felt the shadows wash over him like thick fog. The honks, sirens and barking dogs came to a sudden halt as if someone had put ear plugs on him or the outside had gotten a sick sense humor and silenced completely on purpose. Whatever the case, the world had shunned him to an alternate dimension in which nothing his eyes saw might be real. It was a place where he couldn't trust even himself, it was ironic.

----------------------------------

In the room far off in the empty hallway two unconscious women seemed to be coming to their senses. Louis was seated in a corner humming a minuet but stopped and stared cunningly as they began to move. He was a predator and they were innocent prey.

The corner of Robin's mouth twitched as if she was on the verge of smiling while her head moved from side to side and Jung rolled on the ground clutching her sides and groaning. It made Louis grin broadly in pleasure, it was perfect timing. He reached down and lifted a crying Jung from the floor with unbelievable ease. Her face was puffy and purple in many places, and her hair was a tangled mess. At the moment she was uttering curses and other words he couldn't identify because of her swollen lips. It made him chuckle good-naturedly, Jung was such a doll.

"Oh Jung, it's time! Aren't you excited—I'm excited," he bubbled pushing her to the door but her legs gave under her. Louis didn't let go of her arm but he didn't bother to keep her from falling hard on her knees.

"We can't have that now," he chided picking her up and holding on to her waist, "Get a hold on yourself pretty girl, he's here, I can feel him: your Amon. You don't want him to see you like this, do you?"

Jung's head flopped in his shoulder and her eyes, two slits of swollen mass, barely took notice of their surrounding.

"No, of course you don't. You have to get ready, nothing a couple of Ibuprofen can't fix, really, you look gorgeous, pumpkin. Just remember to do what I told you and smile," Louis opened the door and managed a wobbling Jung out. She seemed to be coming to her senses, whimpering at the pain all over her body. Louis turned back to the nodding Robin and the countenance of 'Louis the piano tutor' returned like a simple swift movement of removing a mask and putting on another one. "I'll be back for you after Jung is done. I'm sure your partner is anxious to see you."

The lights went off and the door slammed shut but Robin could have cared less.

She was faintly entertained by strange blobs of color erupting before her closed eyelids. They moved smoothly and disappeared in the corner of her eyes every once in a while then reappeared in different shapes. They vibrated with every throb of her head like misshaped Jell-O, little Jell-O men…

It was time, she knew it, the back of her hallucinating mind knew it….but what to do? She was in pain, in chains, her only source of power taken. Amon would come, or at least she hoped so. If Louis hadn't been lying, Amon was in the belief that she had sided with the enemy. What she wanted more than anything, even freedom, was the assurance that she had been right on telling Jung that Amon knew her. That Amon believed in her and hadn't shot her on purpose. Amon…he…Amon was…

Robin lifted her head from her shoulder and blinked hard. If he had shot her mistaking her for the real thing— no! It was sheer terror to simply think of it as a possibility; she would rather remain in this dank room for eternity than to have that be the truth. She squirmed in her chair, the metal of the handcuffs clanking in deafening volumes in the thick silence. Her burns had begun to bother her once more; she supposed it was because they needed more ointment. Her ears strained for any movement around her, was Masuo here? He hadn't treated to her wounds for the last hours. He had before, changing her bandages and such every once in a while. It hadn't occurred to her until that very moment that she had grown accustomed to the old man, even taken him for granted. He had always treated her—better than the others, that was for sure. Yet he was no where to be seen…or heard in her case.

_'It's time,'_ she reminded herself growing cold all over. Masuo, as one of Louis's minions, was probably out there waiting for Amon. _'But…what if he doesn't come?'_

She gulped and instantly regretted it, her throat felt like a beat up mass of a tube. It was probable that she would be unable to speak until the pain and swelling went down. Robin tried to breathe deeply from her nose and settled to forget that ominous thought. Amon would come; she knew he would…wouldn't he?

Amon would save her and take her away from this jail and torture, he had to!

_'What if he doesn't come?'_ her brain persisted making her heart begin to race, _'He would be coming to a trap. Amon wouldn't come on this sort of mission knowing fully well that witches outnumbered him…Amon's logic never fails him. He uses his brain—he won't come.'_

When she really got down to it, why would he even want to? She was but a fifteen year old girl who had ailed him with her mere presence from the very beginning. Robin had only been an abnormal child who happened to be able to set things on fire or at least that was how he had always made her feel in their encounter. Karasuma, Doujima, Sakaki, they were all hurt because of her. Why would he come for a useless girl like her? She wasn't worth it, not at all.

_'He'll only get killed'_

Like a bolt of lighting the thought struck.

He could die….

It had never occurred to her for it to even be possible. Her death—yes…his, never.

In a transition of a nanosecond Robin went from a fragile hostile to a mad woman. She twisted and thrashed on her chair until the very last breath was clutched out of her. The thin bandages on her wrists weren't enough to protect from the hand cuffs, she could feel them pulse in renewed pain, but it didn't matter, none of it did.

She didn't want her freedom anymore. How could she have been so selfish as to wish Amon to come? By doing so he would not only risk his life, he would simply loose it.

The silence surrounding her was appalling but there were worse things in life. Like his grey eyes blank with lack of life…

It was funny, how the human mind would go from black to white in a second's time… seemingly and ambivalent place whose decisions were taken by the heart when it was dictated to.

All Robin wanted now was to remain in her little space knowing fully well that he hadn't come. That he had forsaken her for his own well being.

'_I don't want you here!'_

To her there wasn't any point of having freedom in a world without him.

'_Don't come Amon'_

------------------------------------

Four bright orange pills shook in Jung's unsteady hand but she managed to toss them in her mouth. With a small bottle of water she washed them down but half of the liquid spilled on her face because of her shaking hand. She leaned against soot stained wall which clung with the smell of smoke from the several fires homeless people had lit in large tin cans through the passing of the years and a different smell, one she couldn't place. It upset her stomach more than anything to the point where she had to lean down and take deep breaths, forcing the pills to not come up. The room she was in was dimly lit with one or two fluorescent lights from the ceiling, others were broken, not working or blinking continuously, it gave it an odd bleached look about it.

'_Wait here, he'll come, I'll make sure of that,'_ Louis had told her not five minutes ago tossing her into the room and thrusting a bottle of pills and water. Wait…right, like she could move a yard without keeling over. Moving beyond the door had been a hassle, she was sobbing harder than a damn child for Pete's sake!

Jung licked her lips and tried to straighten herself somewhat assured she wouldn't barf anytime soon. The man Amon was coming. No matter how much she wanted to kill Louis, torture him slowly even, she still had a job to do. It wouldn't be hard, she wouldn't have to pretend that much anyway.

She closed her eyes and ignored the tears that slid through them. In her mind she pictured the girl, young, pale, defiant. It was electricity through her body that rippled as smoothly as a piece of silk in a soft breeze, she felt her body change. With it, her injuries appeared nonexistent covered over by untouched skin that wasn't hers. The pain was still hers though vague, as if she had undergone a shot of mild anesthesia. With green eyes that weren't swollen or red from crying she surveyed the room. It was a shooting range.

The smell that had stood out more than smoke was none other than gun powder. Her borrowed face grinned in spite of herself. There were cubicles separated by high, thick walls of bullet proof glass. Unlike the building itself the glass seemed intact, even crystal clear except for one of the walls which had been shattered beyond repair. Pieces of it sprinkled the entire room's ground in different sizes like misshaped, shiny confetti. Beyond on the range were target boards with charred bullet holes. They were stale and yellow-looking; age had done too much to them. Trashcans littered dumpily about just like old newspapers and moldy blankets draped the floor. A gooey yellow puddle was on the distant corner of the room ceiling, leaking reek-smelling water from broken plumbing. Jung sighed eyeing it all appreciatively; Louis sure liked to plot his dramatic soap operas.

She staggered to one of the glass walls and slid down almost cutting her right hand in a rather large piece of stray glass. Looking at it Jung saw a pair of green orbs reflected. They were nice, she had to admit, a bit too dark compared to her light ones, but nice.

Male voices drifted in not too far off. They were soft and undefined so she couldn't understand what they were saying but it was surely Louis with her future play toy Amon. Jung sighed and made herself comfortable on the floor leaning against the wall far from the puddle forming below the sallow ceiling, her part was about to be played.

------------------------------------------

It hadn't been more than five minutes of meandering aimlessly before Amon heard it. It was a whisper, more like a giggle. He had been in the main room of the police station where desks were sprinkled about with broken phones and paper covering every inch of the floor, broken computer chairs looked sad and decrepit like doll with their heads torn off. The windows were covered with newspapers whose ink had begun to fade because of the daily sunlight. The room was pitch dark of course but Amon, after cursing himself for forgetting a flashlight had scavenged among the rubble and found one with dying batteries. Even now as he directed the beam about the place Amon could see how dim the light was becoming.

He wasn't scared of being stranded in the place without a source of light, but the idea of someone slithering unknowingly from the shadows kept him tightening his grip on the fading light. Being prepared for a sudden attack was staple but an itching thought the back of his head told him that if he held his Orbo gun any more rigid, he would do permanent damage to his hand.

Then the laugh came

It wasn't a child's voice but an adult's. The giggle was deep but sounded far too amused to be a chuckle even if Amon was positive it had come from a man.

"You made it, I'm so proud of you."

A man came into the room from a door that led farther into the building. The sudden appearance wasn't at all surprising and anyone who looked at the man would think him far from intimidating. He was wearing a normal business suit with a neat grey tie and his hair was neatly combed back, there was a small smile playing on his lips. To Amon the man looked too far out of place in the muddled room. That was the sign more than anything that made Amon cock his gun in the man's direction ready to shoot.

"That is rude," the man chided with a mock tone of fright, "And those eyes! Has anyone told you they are petrifying?"

When the Amon didn't answer the man laughed heartedly, "Oh Amon, that is your name right? Robin has been talking nonstop about you."

"Where is she?"

"Down to the point, I see…

"She's alive, waiting for you just beyond this door actually," with small smooth steps Amon had fail to notice, the man had removed himself from the doorway to the side. The door was wide open, urging him to hurry into it. "Though I'm afraid you are loosing your time, and foolishly also your life."

Amon forced his eyes from the door to look at the man, "Why is that?"

"Robin is human like you and me," the man began almost in a relaxed conversational voice, "And us humans have strong survival instincts, Robin has just happened to follow them like her nature dictates her to."

"What do you mean?"

The flashlight had died so he tossed it to the floor grateful that the man's outline was still clearly visible even without light.

"I admit that she was put through—ah, unpleasant ordeals and—."

"You harmed her," Amon spat.

The man seemed to think about it, rolled his eyes and lifted the palms of his hands in a sheepish manner as if saying 'Well, what can we do about that now?'

"You kidnapped and hurt her," Amon continued enraged that the man would use plain words like 'unpleasant ordeal' to justify the true meanings.

"When you put it that way you make it sound like it was something bad—ha ha, I'm kidding boy! I see you have no sense of humor…pity.

"Anyhow, as I was saying, Robin has gone through things—things she would rather die than experience again, hence the survival instincts. Her sense of loyalties was traded for peace and shelter."

The wheels in Amon's head twisted and turned trying to make sense of the words. The man was speaking in riddles or maybe his brain couldn't fully grasp it, he didn't know which.

_Sense of loyalties…traded…what?_

"She expects you but I'm afraid she won't be glad to see you."

When Amon's only respond was to scowl the man shook his head grinning, "I mean she works for me now; that is what I mean. She has strict orders to kill you as soon as you come to her sight…the poor girl will suffer if she is forced to come to that dilemma. You wouldn't want to make her endure that experience would you? My heart cries out for her, really it does, but my hands are tied, I want you dead."

"And you want her to do it."

The man giggled as he had behind the door just a few minutes before; apparently delighted he had caught on so quickly, "Yes, it will be her entrance exam. I will take off her chains, literally, and let her join me. She has agreed to it, the poor thing was in too much pain to refuse."

Amon's face felt like a mask to him, so full of disbelief and shock. He hadn't been aware when he had let his emotions surface but he got a hold of them and eyed the man with fresh hatred. He was lying, he had to be. Robin would never do that. She…

Before his eyes he remembered her standing far off while the large wave of water had struck him and the others, saw her aim her craft at him. It had been real, the flames. They had stung even if for a few seconds. They hadn't been an illusion like the Robin a few minutes ago. The Robin in his room and the kiss, that Robin…it hadn't been her, right?

Amon gulped, doubt shook him all over, Robin, his partner, planned to kill him—it was a lie.

"You lie."

The man shrugged in a weary manner, "As you say, I'm lying, it is all a lie. Go beyond the door, she is there. It is not a figment of your imagination, that is your partner in there and she will kill you without a second thought."

"Are you sure?" Amon wasn't trying to keep the conversation going but he was searching the man, studying any point of his expressions hoping for any signs of deceit.

"Oh positive," the man piped giving him a toothy smile that showed off his canines making him look like a hungry hyena. "And if you are wondering, the game is still on. I have not won just like you haven't either. It'll be over as soon as someone drops, but rest assured that it won't be me."

When the gun went off the echoing sound startled even Amon who had not felt his finger pull the trigger. He watched with detached fascination the icy mist flowing easily out the barrel and the green Orbo oozing out of the man's chest. The thick liquid glowed ominously in the dark like a small star in the sky—in his heart.

Perhaps if he hadn't been too busy watching the wound Amon would have seen a small smirk appear in Louis's face.

"Tell me boy," Louis suddenly murmured coldly, "do you know what astral projection is?"

Amon's eyes snapped into focus while his finger applied the smallest of pressure to the trigger once more, "An outcrop, usually of the mind: an out of body experience."

To Amon the man seemed pleased, even smug. His mind roared in comprehension and fury. It was a place where he couldn't trust anything because nothing was what it seemed. How could he have been so foolish as to forget that?

"You are a witch using astral projection—you are not here," Amon finally seethed lowering his gun. What was the point of wasting ammunition on a chimera?

The man clapped enthusiastically, "That is correct, way to state the obvious. You are so bright hunter Amon. My body is somewhere lying peacefully on a soft bed, goose feather quilt I believe: very warm. You are just watching the reflection of my true being, which I assume has disappointed you."

With feline steps, the man walked farther from the door but his body shimmered like a dematerializing ghost. "I hate you, do you know? I hate everything you represent, everything you do. When he came and offered me you and your organization in a silver platter…well, I could barely contain my excitement.

"It's was perfect since the very beginning. He searched for me witches with the power of illusion, did it drive you crazy? My little puppets really had you sweating didn't they? Ha ha, yeah, he told me they would. You can't stand things you can't understand or keep in check. Now that Robin has joined as well you'll end with a tan, a toasty one. You can't harm me hunter Amon," he added seeing Amon lift the useless gun once more. "You can't hurt what you can't touch."

It was a staring contest, full of freezing mutual detestation.

Like a child who had just heard his mom calling in the distance the man blinked and looked away, "Well I have to get going, it was nice meeting you. Now be a good boy and don't play with fire."

The room was clustered with desks and broken chairs all over. Paper acted as a second floor and the covered widows gave off a stale odor from their dirty newspapers. Nothing had changed; nothing was standing next to the open door. There wasn't anyone except Amon and his mounting doubt and rage.

The man had left in the blink of an eye, back to his own body in place probably very far from here, a place unreachable where Amon wouldn't have the satisfaction of killing the bastard.

He walked to the second open door of the evening that led only to disaster. A long hallway awaited but a lit room far ahead with a continuous blinking light was where he was heading, Robin would be there. Yet as he walked apprehensively ahead, he couldn't stop a nagging thought.

The man had referred to a 'He', the instigator and helper according to the man. After Amon got through with this he would kill the 'He'. Then maybe he would be able to get some sleep.

-----------------------------------

Robin's hair lifted off her sides as the door to her incarceration opened with a flurry. She gasped but choked with saliva in her injured throat. Coughing only made it worse; Jung had definitely aimed for the kill when strangling her.

"Go, you are free," she heard Louis whisper feverishly while his ice cold hands fumbled with the hand cuffs, she could hear keys jingling. A second later the bandana was ripped from her face.

For the first time in what seemed eternity Robin's eyes blinked and saw their surroundings, actually were able to _see_. It had been all too fast like a dream, was she asleep? What exactly was going on? Robin lifted her arms before her relishing the absence of metal. In the darkness she could still see the white bandages all over them; she could see her wrapped palm. To her, her hands were just a small part of her body that looked and felt pitiful and marred. She found that she could see easily, her eyes were far too accustomed to obscurity.

This was absurd, she was definitely hallucinating.

"Louis?" she croaked tentatively, afraid that the man was in hiding waiting for a chance to choke her too. No one answered.

He had been there a second ago…hadn't he?

She had been too entranced by the sudden release she hadn't noticed him anywhere near her. Robin narrowed her eyes preparing her craft which came back in a rush even though she hadn't used it in more than a week; it was like riding a bike.

"Louis?" she repeated louder but inhaled sharply as her throat closed in pain. She had been right, talking was not an option.

At least no one had answered; there weren't any movements about either. Slowly she managed to stand up from the chair and walk to what she assumed was an open door. Like an electric shock, the muscles of her legs shuddered in protest sending her sprawling to the floor. Thankfully the door _had _been open otherwise she would have hit it head on. The fall had made her bite her lip, she tasted blood.

It was too much, her body was beat in every place, nothing had been spared. Robin kneeled and held to the doorway with all her might as she tried to stand. The act was tough and cold sweat dripped from her body but Robin managed to stand and take her first step.

With the deciding step Robin found herself in a vacant hallway. By her state of body and mind it seemed an endless road with no destination.

_Go, you are free_

She shook her spinning head and made her way by holding and inclining against the wall while her legs wobbled freely.

'_Amon you don't have to come, I'll be fine. I'll go to you.'_

_----------------------------------------------_

It was a shooting range. When he really though about it Amon would have never expected less. He could see the targets, the glass walls, the filth all over, the puddle and the weak girl crying on the floor.

In a sick, perverse way it all seemed to fit perfectly. This was definitely the stage of a well laid game. Amon lowered his gun in spite of himself and walked towards his partner, shards of glass crunching under his heel. A calm had settled all over him at the sight of her. She was okay; she was alive even if her appearance screamed a thousand words on her meager condition.

Her long dress was in shambles, torn in places from the skirt and arms. The light brown hair he had always seen so well combed was loose in sad strands. For the moment she sat on the ground in the fetal position with her hair covering her face, sobbing softly. His eyes spotted bandages in her wrists making his stomach turn. Unconsciously he had begun to scoot down ready to kneel down alongside her.

'_I can't trust myself,'_ he remembered retreating in a hasty step, _'I can't trust her.'_

"Robin, are you okay?"

His voice sounded cold and demanding, he was in control.

To his dismay she had only jumped slightly at the sound of his voice but continued crying.

"Robin, look at me," he snapped shrilly. Amon winced, he didn't want to be cold but he couldn't help himself, it was second nature for him to treat her like that. He had drilled himself all his life to treat _everyone_ like that. "Are you alright?"

"Amon?"

Her voice was soft, it was deplorable and it ate him inside. Her head lifted from her arms and he saw Robin, the real Robin look up at him. The green in her eyes was clouded with tears and dread that had been drilled on her for the past days. Everything about her looked fragile, from the torn hem of her dress to her trembling brow.

"You came."

His gun shook in his grip but he refused to let go, he couldn't let himself trust, not yet, "Can you get up, we have to go."

She stared at him eyes wide, lips slightly parted, "I can't go."

Three simple words, three simple _common_ words that formed a phrase Amon didn't find conceivable, "What do you mean you can't?"

Robin's face fell even more at the harsh tone of his voice and new tears began to trail down her whitish face, "I can't, I'm so sorry Amon."

A loud clatter filled his ears and a sting felt all over his knees. It took him more than a second to figure out he had dropped his gun to the floor and kneeled on the ground where miniature glass had cut into his knees but none of it mattered. Robin was sobbing freely in his arms, a sob so profound he could feel it shake him too. His arms tightened possessively over her brittle figure and he buried his face on her matted hair.

"Why do you apologize?" he asked hoarsely "I let this happen to you, it was all my fault. Why do you apologize?"

Her arms untangled themselves from underneath his hold and wrapped themselves around him, holding as firm as they could. Her heartbeat was strong and steady even as she cried against him. It was like that time not so long ago when he had first seen her cry. A witch had brutally murdered his children and wife then acted as if it had meant nothing. Amon had never been so satisfied at seeing the Factory custodians take him away never to be seen again. A case as emotional as that one only came once in a blue moon and Amon had felt it was a misfortune Robin had had to experience it at such a young age. She had been with them for some time and demonstrated real stamina against some of the most frivolous witches. And yet she had cried….

He had turned his back on her for a moment and upon looking back he had seen a thin strand of water spill from her eyes. At nights in his cozy dark apartment he wondered if that had been the time he had fully felt it—his infatuation for her. Maybe not _felt_ it, realized it.

His arms had gone around her before he could stop himself. It was like everything that involved his green-eyed partner made him loose his reason and self-control. He couldn't live that way, living by what his hearts' desires dictated he just couldn't, even if it felt so good to give in.

"I can't go with you…"

Her cracking voice brought him to his senses but he didn't release her. It would be a long time before he would be able to hold her like this again.

"I can't leave you here either," he replied, his curt tone back in place.

"He said I have to kill you."

His body froze and every muscle he possessed stiffened, so the man hadn't been lying.

"You don't have to Robin."

"He said I had to join him because I was a witch just like him."

"You are not a witch," he protested callously beginning to remove his arms and move back.

"Yes I am."

Their eyes met inches apart and Amon could feel himself being dragged into the green pools. There was sadness and pain in them, but most of all there was a sinister gloom dancing behind. It was her craft dormant yet ready to strike. Her face was the mask of determination and remoteness he had seen her wear that night she had attacked him by the pond.

"Robin?"

She didn't blink or breathe in even as he did. The movement of her hand had been swift and unseen. Amon looked down in mild shock at a large piece of glass embedded between his shoulder and collar bone, her milky white hand still held it. He seemed to have stopped breathing completely as he looked back to her eyes then to the wound: she had been aiming at his heart.

There were two types of pain in the world, physical and emotional. Humans naturally would reject things that caused bodily harm yet they insisted on having things that would cause them eventual pain like friendships, openness, and love. Amon had found it odd at times why people did that. It seemed to him they were just pointless rituals that were bound to bite them back in the long run. The term 'broken heart' had amused him as well because it was astronomically impossible for that to happen in the true sense of the words. To him all those people were fools, masochist fools.

The blood ran along one of the edges of the glass and dripped to his duster becoming an invisible dot in all the black of their clothing. He watched this but turned once more to her.

It had taken a while after he had met this girl to actually accept her. She had been naïve and eccentric in her own way but a good witch hunter to have around. After 'accepting', he had then opened himself to the young girl by actually bothering to acknowledge her, to stop thinking of her as a craft user and more as a partner. He then decided she was something of a friend. In other words he had, like everyone else, invited all those things he had known would be tedious. All his previous scorn at those things had been ignored, even forgotten. Why? Because he had become one of the fools, one of the masochists fools.

'_Timing is all wrong, huh? You should have told her earlier'_

"I love you Robin."

Physical pain burned his chest and arm but his heart was intact, beating fiercely, waiting.

Robin's face fell and she gave a strangled cry retrieving the glass in a flash. Amon yelled and tumbled backwards clutching the open wound.

"Yeah well, I don't."

Sprawled on the soiled ground Amon watched as Robin got on her feet, bloody weapon at hand. The orange flames of her craft danced behind her eyes but he rolled away just in time as the hot blaze was shot. He could feel it singe the hair in the back of his neck but he moved too quickly and was soon on his feet. Robin stepped back but didn't attack, just stood and glared at him. She let the glass drop from her hand; it shattered into several crimson pieces on the ground.

"I'm a witch," she finally stated clearly.

He jumped to the side into the protection of a glass cubicle as the flames tried to assault him again, almost slamming his good shoulder on the metal barrier from the shooting range, his new protection. He heard her run to the cubicle but he had jumped into the shooting range before she could attack.

"I don't love you," she cried out, "how could I?

"You are nothing more than a disgusting _hunter_."

The words hit him hard but he scooted down on the barrier rushing away from the sound of her voice.

"Once this is done Amon, there will be nothing left of the S.T.N-J. No more Orbo to destroy my kind…no more _you. _Do you know why you kill us off? Because you envy us, you know we are a million times more powerful than you and you just can't stand it."

Orbo…

He risked looking up from his cover. In a second he spotted his gun not two cubicles away, three far from where Robin stood. Thankfully Robin was too busy shooting her craft at random things on her way to notice his peek.

"Louis gave me an opportunity," she was saying looking off at the wrong direction. "I can live a normal life without having people like you on my back all the time. He told me we could rule Tokyo together if I wanted, isn't that nice of him? You are allowed to live if you surrender, you can live as my personal pet."

Amon jumped over the barrier with astonishing agility for someone with a bleeding wound. Robin had turned just in time to see this and fire her craft but two thick walls of glass protected him from the angle where she stood. The glass not only was it bullet proof but fire resistant as well. He picked his Orbo gun and aimed at her through the glass. They stood like that for a while, both threatening each other knowing neither could cause damage. Small fires she had ignited burned themselves to ashes and the odor lingered sourly around.

"I'm no ones' pet," he panted composedly holding his gun steady.

What was he doing? His brain screamed at him to stop but his hunter instincts took over searching for the quickest way to accomplish a shot. He didn't want to hurt her, not even if she actually meant half of the things she was saying, he didn't. He was also confused, his chest and arm had become numb because of a stronger pain taking over. It hurt deeply just to look at her, see her green eyes filled with so much dislike and repulsion. Was this it? The emotional pain, the so-called Broken Heart?

She didn't… she had meant it when she had said…

His eyes clouded and his trigger finger loosened. He couldn't shoot her; his was an empty threat, nothing more.

"If that is the case," she said pouting, "then I'll just kill you like Louis told me to. After I'm done with you maybe I'll head over to Raven's Flat and see my old _friends._ Maybe they will like to be my pets, who knows?"

"You can't do that."

"Why, because you say so or because they are my _friends_?" she asked innocently taking a step backwards.

"Both," he felt his nostrils flare in trepidation. He had to do something, how could he had let everything get out of control? Robin now stood not too far off ready to kill at the slightest provocation, leering at him. The thought struck him that she was like the others, the witches.

No—not just the witches: Kate. Robin was so much like her, loosing control and letting her craft posses her, because there was no other way he could justify what she was doing except that she had lost complete control. His mind wandered back to the time he had shot his past partner. He hadn't committed those foolish emotional mistakes with Kate but it still felt the same: him pointing his gun as she was ready to attack. Same scene, different girl.

Could he do it this time? Could he shoot her?

Before he could come to a decision Robin turned and ran out the open door he had come in through. Amon didn't want to follow. Maybe if she ran far away to the point where he would be unable to follow then he wouldn't have to make a choice.

'_I'm such a fool,'_ his head droned as his feet began to run after her,_ 'Emotions aren't part of this, they were never suppose to be.'_

_----------------------------------------------_

'_Just a little more,'_ Robin thought optimistically. Her goal was a window whose boards had fallen down. Faint light from the streets poured in making it all easier to see. Her whole frame trembled in exhaustion but she refused to stop, it was so close.

She cheered herself by thinking that in perhaps hours she would be back at Raven's Flat with Michael and the others. Her bed in Touko's apartment seemed like a delicacy she must have. Also, the fact that Amon hadn't shown up had lifted her spirits reasonably. He was safe, away from all of this.

Her sweaty palms slipped on the smooth wall she was leading herself on but she caught on and kept going. When her hand gripped the windowsill her eyes filled with tears. Being a hunter was the worst thing in the universe because she didn't have a normal life but being kidnapped had proved her wrong. At least hunting gave her freedom and the sight of the city sky.

Like a drowning girl Robin looked at the outside as if it was her only source of oxygen. Only her eyes ached at the sudden light and she had to look away. Apparently it hadn't been a light street coming through the window but the faint light of full moon half covered by clearing translucent storm clouds. She looked once more, captivated by the sight she had taken for granted her entire life, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Well, _one _of the most beautiful things.

The moon light illuminated some of the hallway which was lined with doors she had never seen before, but that didn't matter because Amon was there looking at her on a distance.

Robin cocked her head wondering if it was her imagination or the moon rays that caused this sight. He was there in his duster standing staring at her like he always had, calm and collected. She tried to smile and say his name but her throat was clogged.

This whole thing had been a nightmare full of torture and abandon but he was here, he hadn't forsaken her no matter how hard she had wished for it.

She attempted to take a step forward but was stopped by his deep voice.

"You are a witch," he said monotonously, "And I'm a hunter, this is how things should be."

Robin saw the cold barrel of his gun appear out of nowhere, aimed at her.

A nightmare's voice spoke in her ear, '_If you are not a witch, then why do you hurt everyone around you?'—_

But she wasn't a witch, she wasn't! Who had she hurt to deserve the label?

The idea had never really occurred to her: in her entire life, she had hurt no one she cared for. Wasn't that a witch? A person with powers whose feelings for others were nothing but contempt? She wasn't like that! She cared, she loved, and yes, she hated but weren't all those feelings what made her human?

Amon's eyes were hard and silver in the moonlight; they were eyes she had grown to love.

'_I'm not a witch Amon, you know me! I know you do!'_

Robin's eyes lingered in his for a moment and he blinked in recognition. She saw him stop, never had his eyes shone with such misery.

He did know her he was the only one who did.

Robin turned to the majestic moon and its surrounding clouds. She wasn't a witch to go about hurting other people, and she wasn't about to start now. She closed her eyes but a tear managed to slip out before the thunder roared in her ears and her chest exploded.

--------------------------------------

"I wanted to stay," Jung complained sulkily, staring out the car window watching the city lights fade in the rearview mirror.

Louis sighed patiently eyeing with distaste Jung's grimy outfit, it would ruin his car seat, "Why can't you change back? Your stupid dress is dirtying my leather."

Jung shrugged, "I like her, she's pretty."

"You mean you like her craft."

"Yeah, that too."

They rode in silence, the country side of the outskirts of the city rolling by. The storm had cleared and dawn was approaching casing the sky in a rusty pink-orange. In the far distance they could see a dark car parked to the side almost covered by two large timber trees. Jung grew pale, "You told me we were getting out of the city, not that we were meeting your boss."

The car filled with Louis's cold chuckle, "That's right, I forgot you were afraid of the man. I suggest you change back, He is not too fond of the girl."

"I'm not afraid, He is just a weird man," she replied furiously. Licking her lips Jung closed her eyes and transformed back, Robin's features washed away for her own injured ones.

It seemed the car's occupants were still inside waiting for them. They halted in the rear and got off. Jung stayed by the car pretending she needed to grab the hood for support, anyone seeing her injuries wouldn't see it any other way but the truth was she refused to get any closer to the window that had just opened.

"How did it go?"

Louis scratched his chin and shrugged, "The girl was killed, and the man is walking like you wanted."

"….."

"Masuo seems to have run the hell away," Louis continued breezily, "I couldn't astral project to him anywhere in the city."

"Yes, he tried to elope but my team caught up with him."

They let the ominous enunciation pass by but Jung heard this and took an unintentional step back.

Louis nodded nonchalantly, "He was boring anyway."

The sun had begun to rise high above the wildlife around them. There were small green hills all around covered with night frost.

"I suppose we can leave now," Louis stated putting his hands in his pockets and extracting his car keys, "You will keep your promise, right? Immunity to you any of your kind in the entire country."

"Yes…"

Shivers ran all over Jung's bruised arms and legs at the tone of voice coming from the window. It had sounded more like a hiss than anything. The wind seemed to begin blowing differently and she could see Louis begin to look alert.

"But you haven't told me why you wanted the girl so much."

This seem to amuse Louis, "Oh that! It doesn't matter anymore, she's dead. Though it is a great loss, let me tell you."

"You promised you would tell me," the man so softly Jung had to strain her ears to hear.

"I didn't promise," Louis scoffed, "I said I might tell you, there's a difference."

When the door clicked and swung open Jung wondered if this was karma.

A tall man whose countenance meant business emerged, "I know what you are planning to do with the STN Louis, it is a very foolish thing to plan if you really think about it….I assume you are not astral projecting, this is your real body."

Louis's real body fell to the floor after the first three shots but the man kept pulling the trigger. Green wounds blossomed all over the scrupulous man Louis had once been.

Jung didn't look away, not even as the gun came in contact with her head, it felt cold and hot like an ice cube. For the last remaining seconds she forcer herself to think positively, maybe it wouldn't be all that bad, maybe it was like going to sleep.

----------------------------------

**Weeks Later**

"Aoyama was seen in a concert at the public city hall. He claimed to be retrieving his cello he had left on the backstage at the time but his alibi didn't hold. People saw him quarreling with Lucy, the victim, half an hour before she was found strangled," Michael said raising his voice over the large conference monitors with the picture of a young man with a long mane of grey hair.

"Wasn't she strangled with a cello string?" Doujima asked making a face either at the horrendous action or at her hot coffee.

"Yeah it was a D string," Sakaki added taking notes in a small pad, "Okay so what do we do? It seems like the normal act of a maniac not a witch. Why are we even spending time on it?"

"Because—."

They turned in anticipation at the sonorous, aloof voice of their leader.

"Aoyama comes from a direct line of witches," Amon explained, "There is one in every generation, the least we could do is keep vigilance concerning this, at least until we make sure it was a normal homicide."

The meeting was adjourned but the only one to leave was Amon who mumbled about talking to Zaizen and stalked off. They looked at one another but their eyes wandered to two empty chairs on the table.

Doujima made sure he was out of hearing distance before rolling her eyes at them and making a noise of irritation in the back of her throat, "I can't believe him."

"Lay off Doujima it has been weeks since that," Michael muttered unplugging his notebook from the conference station and headed for his own desk.

"But she is right," Sakaki intervened furiously going after the spectacled boy, "Have you seen him? The way he acts? It's like he didn't even do it!"

"No remorse whatsoever," Doujima added.

Michael gave them an exasperated look but it faltered after a while, "Yeah, he is the same as back then."

"Back then? You mean what happened with Kate?"

"Yeah…" Michael turned to his screen but seemed to think better of it and swiveled his chair to face them, "He shot Kate but it was his duty, he _had _to do it. You all heard his side of the story. In his shoes what would've you guys done? Let Robin roast you like marshmallows?"

"It was a _fake_ Robin," Doujima countered with a nodding Sakaki right by her shoulder, "He should've been able to tell the difference."

"And what makes you think it would've been any different with you? Neither of you, including me, would've done what Amon did because lets face it: we are not half the hunter he is. Amon can tell between right and wrong and I respect him for it," deciding he had made his point clear enough to end the conversation Michael turned to his beloved computer but his hands were no closer to the keyboard before they started again.

"But it was Robin! Robin his partner! If that had happened to me, I would've never shot Doujima," Sakaki protested taking a chair next to Michael.

"Oh Sakaki, you are so sweet."

"You don't have to roll your eyes when you say that you know?"

Doujima rolled them dramatically but became sober after a moment letting her depression show, "It just gets to me. How could he be so…cruel and unfeeling? I actually thought—you know that he… For Robin, I mean."

Sakaki leaned on the desk and laid his head on it, "You aren't making any sense Doujima."

"I mean that…it's sad for him to act this way. He is alive and he breathes and talks but he is, uh, the word I'm looking for is—stone, yeah. He is made of stone," both guys stared warily at the blonde, she was definitely warming up to the subject, "We work with him! We trust the guy with our lives, you would think he wouldn't shoot us the moment he thought we were about to give him a scratch! And I am sure, _positive _even, that he—."

"He didn't apologize, yes you are right."

Eyes wide with embarrassment, the three refused to meet Robin's eyes as she strolled in the room and sat lightly across from them.

"And if you are wondering," she went on conversationally, "He didn't go to the hospital either in all this time, I asked the nurses."

"What are you doing here Robin? Zaizen gave specific orders for you to remain at home for the rest of the month," Michael glued his burning face to the computer screen praying she hadn't heard him justify Amon's actions against her.

Robin shrugged a small smile coming forth to her face, "I was bored so I went to visit Karasuma today. I didn't get to see her as much when I was in the hospital too."

"Oh, I haven't gone since yesterday morning," Doujima added grateful for the change of topic, "How is she? The doctors say she's fine but they don't let her go."

"The swelling went down completely but there is something wrong with her left pinkie, she keeps saying it feels asleep but she can still move it."

It went on like this for the rest of the afternoon, they exchanged pleasantries but none spoke of what had shaken their organization to the core. As Robin headed home she wondered if Louis had accomplished what he wanted, he had weakened the moral of the STN.

During her time in the hospital bed while her burns healed and the Orbo was painfully drained out of her system, Robin had dreams of her captors. They were more like nightmare fueled by the knowledge that Louis had runoff with Jung, not leaving a trace to their names. They could come back at any moment and take advantage of this… She began to shake at the thought fearing for her precious freedom and sight. She didn't know if loosing them for the second time would be bearable.

The day was still early but it darkened with snow clouds crowding overhead. Before she knew it the first flake of the day landed with weightless grace on the tip of her nose. She brushed it off but stopped walking and stood in the middle of a deserted street as the snow fell all around burning her face with its chill.

He hadn't apologized or even spoken with her except to tell her Zaizen was giving her leave for a few weeks. It hurt, much more than the shot itself.

But now, all alone in the cold Robin touched her wound lightly with the tip of her right finger. Even through the layers of her new dress Robin could still feel the thick oval scar right in the middle of her chest. According to the doctors that had waited on her hand and foot through her stay in the hospital, the scar would never fade in the slightest. It wasn't a bad thing though, at least not to her. It would be a flesh reminder of this time just like the marred strips of skin around both of her wrists. Memories would be framed in her mind; she refused to let them go even if they left her waking in the middle of the night in cold sweat. She might end traumatized for the rest of her life or simply have the experience help her grow, she wasn't so sure yet. Her strength sources had been depleted; she was a girl with battle scars.

The snow had thickened to a soft crunch under her feet by the time she approached her apartment building. There was no sound as if the snow had covered the city in a soft blanket shushing it to sleep. Her keys jingled but she let them fall on the concrete steps when a shadow appeared from behind.

Her chest clutched in sadness and the wound began to throb in pain, "I thought you would never speak to me again."

Robin did a full turn and faced Amon who was but two steps down. Flakes of snow were settling on his hair and his shoulders were full of them, it seemed he had been waiting for some time.

"I almost killed you," he stated dryly as if that explained it all.

She looked to the ground not wanting to see his distant eyes the snow was cold enough, "But you didn't."

"You closed your eyes."

Robin frowned all she wanted was to disappear in the face of the planet.

"It was too late but I saw you close your eyes, that's when I knew…" he persisted, "That was why I only shot you once…"

This confrontation was sickening. She was too exhausted to hear his reasoning for shooting her. He had done it, wasn't it enough? If truth be told, she didn't hold it against him. Only the fact that he kept acting like it had meant nothing, that—that stung. For nights in a row in the desolation of the cold hospital she had waited hoping he would come even stand at the foot of her bed not saying anything, just being there but he hadn't come, not once. He hated her, he didn't care.

_'Please, no,'_ her head moaned as her face grew hot and her eyes began to blur,_ 'Please care for me Amon, care!'_

She sobbed freely into her cold-numbed hands, cried and cried for her self. Falling apart had never been so refreshing even if she was crying like a child in front of Amon. It was something that couldn't be helped, she just felt so sorry: for herself, for her friends, for the affection of Amon she would never have.

"Why are you crying?" he asked coming up a step.

"Don't—," she cried desperately making him halt at arm distance. Rushing Robin reached down for her keys and entered the building in a run. The elevator awaited and as the doors admitted her with no one in the inside, she couldn't help but remember that fateful day when the 'old' Robin had done the same thing then. And just like on that time she scooted down on the floor before the doors closed behind her, and sobbed. Nothing had changed, life would go on in its tedious daily schedule but nothing would change.

"I'm sorry for what I did, but will simply saying it make you feel any better? Can it change the stupid mistake I made?"

Robin looked up; the elevator was still open held by Amon's arm as he led himself in. He kneeled next to her but his face was the vision of vacancy, there was no emotion in it.

"It would help," she heard herself say then wiped her face with her sleeve. If he meant it, then it would help, it really would.

He nodded in full agreement, "I'm sorry Robin."

She gulped excess tears patting her face dry. So this was it, what she wanted, it was done. The small ding of the elevator signaled the arrival of her floor. She stood up and tripped on her dress, the hem was too long for her. It was about now when Robin began to feel embarrassed. Her face was probably blotchy.

Being a teenager, it was normal to feel that way, right? She sighed in relieve when the elevator doors shut behind her but once before her door she realized mortified that Amon hadn't left, he was there standing behind her.

"Robin…"

She turned to see his hand outstretched to her. On the palm of his hand her blood-red pendant sat like a miniature heart—her heart, he had it in his hands and he always would. When she reached for it he closed his hand over hers like an iron grip.

"I want to be your partner," he said looking at their clasped hands.

"I _am_ your partner Amon," she said confusedly but slightly distracted, his hand felt so warm against hers.

"I want to be your partner," he repeated this time looking at her. He never smiled while saying this or betrayed his feelings with a random facial expression. He was Amon, solid and whole as always but it didn't matter, she understood.

"I love you Amon."

Just like there were her scars that showed past hardship to keep the memories flowing, there was their first kiss to mark the changing of times.

Of course change would come slowly but Robin was patient. Time would pass and life would continue for a while before he would begin holding her or form the courage to tell her that he loved her once more, but in those hours of long witch hunts alone, he would hold her hand, and refuse to let go.

* * *

**DONE! OMFG! This was baffling even for me. Was this a good or totally sucky ending? Please, please do tell me! I know the climax was easy to figure out, wasn't it? I bet all of you totally saw that coming, I'm so predictable XD. I am also aware that I put cryptic stuff in the story but I'm sure they were easy to figure out too…if not ask ask ask, I'll answer. I hope you guys enjoyed it, I know I did writing it. I'll take a small break now then return doing a fic for….huh, I'm not so sure but I'll return at some point. If you guys have any ideas of what I should do next tell me cuz my brain is dried out of creativity Oh well, please review, I welcome flames, they'll help me improve some way or other. I'll miss all of you. **


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